52 UNIVERSAL EVOLUTION 



of evolution, however, in that, the forms of organisms 

 closely coincide at all points of their development, 

 and especially in the study of embryology, which is 

 also designated by another word closely allied to 

 morphology, and that is morphogeny the genetic 

 source of form. When vital energy starts a cell by 

 division into first two, then four, and then eight cells 

 by growth, why do these aggregations of prolific cells 

 take certain familiar forms, instead of assuming some 

 other? There is a wonderful analogy in all animal 

 forms, but an especial similarity among the higher or- 

 ders. Yet, at certain periods, in heredity, the form sud- 

 denly changes in its growth, by a more or less varia- 

 tion, and sometimes by a change so radical as to form 

 a new species. But however radical, in the eye of the 

 naturalist, the change may be, yet the general form of 

 the new species is clearly in general accord with all 

 life forms, or the type, as it may be called, of animal 

 life on the globe. There is always a conformity to the 

 local rhythm, so that, as said in another place, the 

 organism can always be divided through its axis into 

 two equal halves, similar in form, at least, at all its 

 points. It is altogether probable that the life forms on 

 the earth conform to the local rhythm of that globe; 

 and the life forms of another planet, whose distance is 

 greater from the sun, whose bulk and weight are dif- 

 ferent from those of the earth, -would have a typical 

 life form, correspondingly different from that of our 

 world. When we shall know more of the forces of 

 attraction and repulsion, and the rhythm, compelling 

 the globular shape of matter, when it integrates into 

 solid forms, from that of the earth, to that of a germ 

 cell of an organism, we may be able to formulate accu- 

 rate sciences of morphology. Yet the mere form of an 



