378 LAMARCK, HIS LIFE AND WORK 



the idea of spirit ; but as this hypothetical being is 

 not in the category of objects which it is possible 

 for us to observe, we do not know how to take cog- 

 nizance of it. The idea that we have of it is abso- 

 lutely without base. 



" We only know physical objects and only objects 

 relative to these beings {itres): such is the condition 

 of our nature. If our thoughts, our reasonings, our 

 principles have been considered as metaphysical 

 objects, these objects, then, are not beings {itres). 

 They are only relations or consequences of relations 

 {rapports), or only results of observed laws. 



" We know that relations are distinguished as 

 general and special. Among these last are regarded 

 those of nature, form, dimension, solidity, size, 

 quantity, resemblance, and difference; and if we 

 add to these objects the being observed and the 

 consideration of known laws, as also that of conven- 

 tional objects, we shall have all the materials on 

 which our thoughts are based. 



" Thus being able to observe only the phenomena 

 of nature, as well as the laws which regulate these 

 phenomena, also the products of these last, in a 

 word, only bodies {corps) and what concerns them, 

 all that which immediately proceeds from supreme 

 power is incomprehensible to us, as it itself [i.e., 

 supreme power] is to our minds. To create, or to 

 make anything out of nothing, this is an idea we 

 cannot conceive of, for the reason that in all that we 

 can know, we do not find any model which repre- 

 sents it. God alone, then, can create, while nature 

 can only produce. We must suppose that, in his 

 creations, the Divinity is not restricted to the use of 

 any time, while, on the other hand, nature can effect 

 nothing without the aid of long periods of time." 



Without translating more of this remarkable book, 

 which is very rare, much less known than the Philoso- 



