32 THE REIGN OF LAW. 



formed " before it grew." But the same language 

 is held, not less decidedly, of every ordinary 

 birth. " Thine eyes did see my substance, yet 

 being imperfect. In Thy book all my members 

 were written which in continuance were fashioned, 

 when as yet there were none of them." And 

 these words, spoken of the individual birth, have 

 been applied not less truly to the modern idea 

 of the Genesis of all Organic Life. Whatever 

 may have been the physical or material relation 

 between its successive forms, the ideal relation 

 has been now clearly recognised, and reduced to 

 scientific definition. All the members of that 

 frame which has received its highest interpreta- 

 tion in Man, had existed, with lower offices 

 assigned to them, in the animals which flourished 

 before Man was born. All theories of Develop- 

 ment have been simply attempts to suggest the 

 manner in which, or the physical process by 

 means of which, this ideal continuity of type 

 and pattern has been preserved. But whilst all 

 these suggestions have been in the highest de- 

 gree uncertain, some of them violently absurd, 

 the one thing which is certain is the fact for 



