GOETHE ON ADAPTATION AND INHERITANCE. 89 
quote a passage from the poem entitled, “The Metamor- 
phosis of Animals” (1819). 
‘« All members develop themselves according to eternal laws, 
And the rarest form mysteriously preserves the primitive type. 
Form therefore determines the animal’s way of life, 
And in turn the way of life powerfully reacts upon all form: 
Thus the orderly growth of form is seen to hold 
Whilst yielding to change from externally acting causes.’’ * 
Here, clearly enough, the contrast between two different 
organic constructive forms is intimated, which are opposed 
_to one another, and which by their inter-action determine 
the form of the organism ; on the one hand, a common inner 
original type, firmly maintaining itself, constitutes the 
foundation of the most different forms; on the other hand, 
the externally active influence of surroundings and mode of 
life, which influence the original type and transform it. 
This contrast is still more definitely pointed out in the 
following passage :— 
“ An inner original community forms the foundation of all 
organization ; the variety of forms, on the other hand, arises 
from the necessary relations to the outer world, and we 
may therefore justly assume an original difference of condi- 
tions, together with an uninterruptedly progressive trans- 
formation, in order to be able to comprehend the constancy 
as well as the variations of the phenomena of form.” 
The “original type” which constitutes the foundation of 
* Alle Glieder bilden sich aus nach ew’gen Gesetzen, 
Und die seltenste Form bewahrt im Geheimniss das Urbild. 
Also bestimmt die Gestalt die Lebensweise des Thieres. 
Und die Weise zu leben, sie wirkt auf alle Gestalten 
Michtig zuriick. So zeiget sich fest die geordnete Bildung, 
Welche zum Wechsel sich neigt durch iusserlich wirkende Wesen. 
