XL] SPECIFIC GENESIS. 247 



mos is such. Such orderly evolution harmonizes with a 

 teleology derived, not indeed from external Nature directly, 

 but from the mind of man. On this point, however, more 

 will be said in the next chapter. But, once more, if new 

 species are not manifested by the action of external condi- 

 tions upon minute indefinite individual differences, in what 

 precise way mry we conceive that manifestation to have 

 taken place ? 



Are new species now evolving, as they have been from 

 time to time evolved ? If so, in what way and by what 

 conceivable means ? 



In the first place, they must be produced by natural ac- 

 tion in preexisting material, or by supernatural action. 



For reasons to be given in the next chapter, the second 

 hypothesis need not be considered. 



If, then, new species are and have been evolved from 

 preexisting material, must that material have been organic 

 or inorganic ? 



As before said, additional arguments have lately been 

 brought forward to show that individual organisms do arise 

 from a basis of in-organic material only. As, however, this 

 at the most appears to be the case, if at all, only with the 

 lowest and most minute organisms exclusively, the process 

 cannot be observed, though it may perhaps be fairly in- 

 ferred. 



AVe may therefore, if for no other reason, dismiss the 

 notion that highly-organized animals and plants can be sud- 

 denly or gradually built up by any combination of physical 

 forces and natural powers acting externally and internally 

 upon and in merely inorganic material as a base. 



But the question is, How have the highest kinds of ani- 

 mals and plants arisen ? It seems impossible that they can 

 have appeared otherwise than by the agency of antecedent 

 organisms not greatly different from them. 



A multitude of facts, ever increasing in number and im- 



