42 THE HISTORY OF CREATION. 



covering (membrane, or skin) was formed round simple cytods 

 (without kernel), as well as round naked cells (containing a 

 kernel). By these two processes of separation in the simple 

 primaeval mucus of the Moneron body, by the formation of 

 a kernel in the interior and a covering on the outer surface 

 of the mass of plasma, there arose out of the original most 

 simple cytods, or Monera, those four different species of 

 plastids, or individuals, of the first order, from which, by 

 differentiation and combination, all other organisms could 

 afterwards develop themselves. (Compare vol. i. p. 347.) 



The question now forces itself ujDon us, Are all organic 

 cytods and cells, and consequently also those " original cells " 

 which we previously considered to be the primary parents of 

 the few great main groups of the animal and vegetable king- 

 doms, descended from a single original form of Moneron, or 

 were there several different organic primary forms, each 

 traceable to a peculiar independent species of Moneron 

 which originated by spontaneous generation ? In other 

 words, Is the ivhole organic world of a common origin, or 

 does it oive its origin to several acts of spontaneous genera- 

 tion ? This fundamental question of genealogy seems at 

 first sight to be of exceeding importance. But on a more 

 accurate examination, we shall soon see that this is not 

 the case, and that it is in reality a matter of very subor- 

 dinate importance. 



Let us now pass on to examine and clearly limit our 

 conception of an organic tribe. By tribe, or phylum, we 

 understand all those organisms of whose blood relationship 

 and descent from a common primary form there can be no 

 doubt, or whose relationship, at least, is most probable from 

 anatomical reasons, as well as from reasons founded on his- 



