PEEFACE. 



A GREAT part of the present work was 

 written" some time ago, and an abstract of the 

 philosophical portion was published as a series 

 of papers in a London periodical. Want of 

 leisure has hitherto prevented the author from 

 preparing the completed manuscript for press. 

 It now appears to him that his conclusions are 

 still sound, and not altogether unworthy to be 

 laid before the public, as the main argument 

 remains essentially unaffected by publications 

 more recent than those upon which the work 

 was originally based. 



The quotations from Darwin's " Origin of 

 Species,'' are taken from the third edition, when 

 not otherwise specified. 



W. F. KIKBY. 

 London, 1883. 



JW374953 



