314 . On Species. 



a. A concentered unit of force, an ineffaceable xjomponent of 

 tile system of nature ; but 



J, Subject to greater or less librations, according to the uni- 

 Tersal law of mutual reaction or sympathy among forces. 



And, in addition, in the organic kingdom, 



c. Exhibiting its potentiality not simply or wholly in any exist- 

 ing condition or action, but through a cycle of growth from the 

 primal germ to maturity, when the new germ comes forth as a 

 repetition of the first to go another round in the cycle and per- 

 petuate the original unit; and, therefore, as follows from a neces- 

 sary perpetuity of the cycle 



d. Exhibiting identity of species among individuals, by per- 

 petuated fertile intermixture in all normal conditions, and non- 

 identity by the impossibility of such intermixture, the rare cases 

 of continuation for one or two generations, attesting to the sta- 

 bility of the law, by proving the effort of nature to rid herself 

 of the abnormity, and her success in the effort, 



e. The many like individuals that are conspecific do not prop- 

 erly constitute the species, but each is an expression of the species 

 in its potentiality under some one phase of its variables ;^ and to 

 understand a species, we must know its law through all its cycle 

 of growth, and its complete series of librations. 



We should therefore conceive of the system of nature as in- 

 volving, in its idea, a system of units, finite constituents at the 

 basis of all things, each fixed in law ; these units in inorganic 



their kinds by combinations in definite prop- 

 in organic nature adding to their numbers of 

 representative individuals, but not kinds, by self-reproduction ; 

 and all adding to their varieties by mutual reaction or sympathy. 

 Thus from the law within and the law without, under the Being 

 above as the Author and sustainer of all law, the world has ite 

 diversity, the cosmos its fullness of beauty. „ 



I would remark again that we must consider this mode ot 



nature as adding to 

 ositions; and those 



reaching truth, by reasoning from the general to the special, as 

 c^uiring also its complement, direct observation, to give unwaver- 

 ing confidence to the mind; and we should therefore encourage 

 research with a willingness to receive w^hatever results come from 

 pature. We should give a high place in our estimate to all 

 investigation tending to elucidate the variation or permanence ol 



epecies, their mutability or immutability ; and at the same tune 

 m order that appearances may not deceive us, we should glancet 

 towards other departments of nature, remembering that all trutn 

 is harmonious, and comprehensive law the end of science, 



A word further upon our conceptions of species as realities. 

 In acquiring the first idea of species, we pass, by induction, as 

 m other cases of generalization, from the special details displayed 

 among individuals to a general notion of a unity of type ; ana 



