30 De Vi Physica 



sumption, that a long chain of incipient and 

 relatively imperfect organisations led up to 

 e.g. our spider. This proceeding is disguised 

 under an expression resembling scientific 

 modesty ; ' the imperfection of the geological 

 ' record! But in the first place, there is not 

 a particle of evidence that such a chain 

 or series of creatures ever existed. They 

 are a pure figment : an imaginary line of 

 beings conjured up out of nothing to support 

 a theory impossible without them. But this 

 is not all. It is mathematically impossible 

 that such a series can ever have existed h . 

 For parts reciprocally presupposing each 

 other can never have existed alone. And 

 yet, although Darwin knew well enough 

 that, if any organs existed which could not 



h As will be shown still more irrefutably on a future page. 

 Observe, that on Darwin's theory, such a series is absolutely 

 necessary. But it happens to be impossible, which is very 

 awkward for the theory. 



