304 SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT. 



the existing knowledge of the early development of 

 the germs of animals by discovering the ovum in the 

 body of the mammalia before fructification, and by this 

 and other discoveries secured his claim to be considered 

 the greatest embryologist of his own age, and perhaps 

 of all time. He goes on to examine to what extent the 

 morphological differences which the animal kingdom ex- 

 hibits in its various members can be taken as a guide to 

 the genetic differences in the growth and development of 

 the higher organisms. He, in fact, tried to ascertain 

 how far the facts of classification throw a light on the 

 facts of development, how far the changing embryo of 

 the higher animal gradually passes through the permanent 

 forms of the lower animals. He combats the idea that 

 the classification or morphological arrangement can be 

 uni-serial — i.e., brought into one continuous line or order. 



his researches. He wishes to dis- drew from all this, especially in 



tinguish carefully between facts the age of Schelling's 'Natur-phil- 



and theory, and is very cautious osophie,' the conclusion that Cuvier 



as to the latter, a trait which was not a philosophical mind. To 



runs through all his writings. It me it seems that we recognise in it 



is also very interesting to see how Cuvier's desire for clearness. He 



iu his biography of Cuvier (post- dropped the higher task because 



humously published by Stieda) he he found that it would not lead 



considers it a merit of that great him to clear views" ('Lebensge- 



naturalist not to have indulged schichte Cuvier's von K. E. von Baer,' 



in genetic theories. "It is evi- ed. Stieda, 1897, p. 72). English 



dent that Cuvier in his youth had readers, to whom the genetic view 



als(} a genetic system in view, such has only become familiar since 



as Oken afterwards followed up, Darwin or perhaps Lyell, will find 



but that he must soon have found with astonishment how in the 



out that this task was unattainable writings of Baer, before Lyell and 



for him. He abandoned it, and even before the appearance of 



sought rather to draw from the Cuvier's final system, genetic ideas 



mauifoldness of the formed pro- were thought to be prevalent, and 



duct inferences regarding the con- were criticised elaborately and re- 



ditions of its genesis. Thus he ceived with the utmost caution 



arrived at the teleological concep- even by the great pn^pounders of 



tions which he developed on vari- the doctrine of development, 

 ous occasions. German naturalists 



