LAMARCK'S THEORY OF EVOLUTION 275 



Corps vivans (p. 56 et suiv!), and decide for your- 

 selves. 



" Thus, among living bodies, nature, as I have al- 

 ready said, offers only in an absolute way individuals 

 v^fhich succeed each other genetically, and which 

 descend one from the other. So the species among 

 them are only relative, and only temporary. 



" Nevertheless, to facilitate the study and the 

 knowledge of so many different bodies it is useful to 

 give the name of species to the entire collection of 

 individuals which are alike, which reproduction per- 

 petuates in the same condition as long as the con- 

 ditions of their situation do not change enough to 

 make their habits, their character, and their form 

 vary. 



" Such is, citizens, the exact sketch of that which 

 goes on in nature since she has existed, and of that 

 which the observation of her acts has alone enabled 

 us to discover. I have fulfilled my object if, in pre- 

 senting to you the results of my researches and of 

 my experience, I have been able to disclose to you 

 that which in your studies of this kind deserves your 

 special attention. 



" You now doubtless conceive how important are 

 the considerations which I have just exposed to you, 

 and how wrong you would be if, in devoting yourself 

 to the study of animals or of plants, you should seek 

 to see among them only the multiplied distinctions 

 that we have been obliged to establish ; in a word, if 

 you should confine yourselves to fixing in your mem- 

 ory the variable and indefinite nomenclature which 

 is applied to so many different bodies, instead of 

 studying Nature herself — her course, her means, 

 and the constant results that she knows how to 

 attain." 



On the next fly page are the following words: 

 Esquisse d'une Philosophie zoologique. 



