Chap. XV.] CONCLUSION. 301 



varieties is, that the latter are known, or believed, to be 

 connected at the present day by intermediate gradations 

 whereas species were formerly thus connected. Hence, 

 without rejecting the consideration of the present exist- 

 ence of intermediate gradations between any two forms, 

 we shall be led to weigh more carefully and to value 

 higher the actual amount of difference between them. 

 It is quite possible that forms now generally acknow- 

 ledged to be merely varieties may hereafter be thought 

 worthy of specific names ; and in this case scientific and 

 common language will come into accordance. In short, 

 we shall have to treat species in the same manner as 

 those naturalists treat genera, who admit that genera 

 are merely artificial combinations made for convenience. 

 This may not be a cheering prospect ; but we shall at 

 least be freed from the vain search for the undiscovered 

 and undiscoverable essence of the term species. 



The other and more general departments of natural 

 history will rise greatly in interest. The terms used 

 by naturalists, of affinity, relationship, community of 

 type, paternity, morphology, adaptive characters, rudi- 

 mentary and aborted organs, &c, will cease to be meta- 

 phorical, and will have a plain signification. When we 

 no longer look at an organic being as a savage looks at 

 a ship, as something wholly beyond his comprehension ; 

 when we regard every production of nature as one 

 which has had a long history; when we contemplate 

 every complex structure and instinct as the summing 

 up of many contrivances, each useful to the possessor, 

 in the same way as any great mechanical invention is 

 the summing up of the labour, the experience, the reason, 

 and even the blunders of numerous workmen ; when we 

 thus view each organic being, how far more interesting 



