958 Vestiges of Creation. 



u Early in this century, M. Lamarck, a naturalist of the highest 

 character, suggested a hypothesis of organic progress which has in- 

 curred much ridicule, and scarcely ever had a defender. He surmised, 

 and endeavoured, with a great deal of ingenuity, to prove, that one 

 being advanced in the course of generations to another, in conse- 

 quence merely of its experience of wants calling for the exercise of its 

 faculties in a particular direction, by which exercise new developments 

 of organs took place, ending in variations sufficient to constitute a new 

 species. Thus he thought that a bird would be driven by necessity to 

 seek its food in the water, and that, in its efforts to swim, the out- 

 stretching of its claws would lead to the expansion of the intermediate 

 membranes, and it would thus become web-footed. Now, it is pos- 

 sible that wants, and the exercise of faculties, have entered in some 

 manner into the production of the phenomena which we have been 

 considering ; but certainly, not in the way suggested by Lamarck, 

 whose whole notion is obviously inadequate to account for the rise of 

 the organic kingdoms. Had the laws of organic development been 

 known in his time, his theory might have been of a more imposing 

 kind. It is upon these that the present hypothesis is mainly founded. 

 I take existing natural means, and show them to have been capable of 

 producing all the existing organisms, with the simple and easily con- 

 ceivable aid of a higher generative law, which we, perhaps, still see 

 operating upon a limited scale." — p. 238. 



The hypothesis of progressive development, when broached by 

 Lamarck, obtained — from the universal respect paid to its author, 

 who was certainly one of the most profound Zoologists that ever lived 

 — a fair and candid examination. This soon terminated in its utter 

 rejection, because, however beautiful, however grand the hypothesis 

 may be, it was found that no fact could be adduced to afford it any 

 support ; and its author has suffered severely in the estimation of the 

 very naturalists who would have rejoiced to honour his surpassing 

 talents. Hearing that the hypothesis was revived after so many years 

 had elapsed, we hastened to the perusal of the work»feefore us, not, 

 indeed, with any expectation of becoming converts to what had 

 always appeared so diametrically opposed to probability ; still, not 

 doubting for a moment that fresh researches had been instituted, fresh 

 light thrown on the subject. Knowing what the microscope has re- 

 cently achieved for physiological science, fully appreciating the im- 

 portant discoveries of modern times, we imagined that these and 

 similar labours might be made the basis whereon to raise the super- 

 structure of hypothesis. We flattered ourselves we should, at least, 



