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tudes and hues^ have had their proper places allotted to 

 them, — and moreover with such care and regularity, that 

 a complete plan, or scheme, of distribution is at once 

 conspicuous. Although there are not even two, amongst 

 that enormous multitude, which are precisely alike (for 

 every species, however it may resemble its next ally, has 

 some distinctive feature of its own), we immediately per- 

 ceive that those beads which have most in common, are, 

 as it were, attracted to each other, — so as, by their close 

 approximation, or contact, to create excrescences and 

 stripes, of divers kinds, along the entire length of the 

 cord. If we assume now that the red beads have been 

 collected together, to the length (for instance) of a yard, 

 and that within that space a dozen protuberances, of 

 discordant aspects and dimensions, have (by the union 

 of those beads which more nearly simulate each other) 

 been brought about ; we shall have a very fair idea of 

 the ordinary grouping of the animate tribes. The red 

 beads, taken in the mass, may be hkened to a perfect 

 " family ;" the differing gibbosities to twelve well -marked 

 " genera," which that family includes ; whilst the 

 " species " (the real dramatis personce, of independent 

 existence, which are nevertheless compelled to occupy 

 the situations we have described, — thus causing the divi- 

 sions to be mapped out) are here typified, as everywhere, 

 by the several beads themselves. 



I have not thought it necessary to pursue this reason- 

 ing into higher divisions than " families ;" but of course 

 it may be extended to any amount, — so as to shadow 



