2 2 TRANSITIONS IN FORM AND STRUCTURE 



and structure, indeed, but so marvellously endowed 

 that it comprised within itself the potentiality of 

 passing through, in its descendants, a series of meta- 

 morphoses, in the course of long generations, of this 

 or that kind according to the chance of circumstances. 

 The eventual, though unpreordained, result of which 

 has been the vegetable and animal kingdoms such as 

 we now find them. 



Even on a superficial survey we may recognise 

 transitional resemblances in the form and structure of 

 animals from worms up to Man ; while a deeper insight 

 discloses in the plan of their organisation such a unity 

 of design, that the whole animal kingdom appears 

 like one chain of beings successively more and more 

 developed. The chain, speaking of animals as we 

 find them living on the earth at the present day, does 

 not, indeed, appear to be an unbroken one through- 

 out. Where, however, interruptions occur, connect- 

 ing links ma} T , in many cases, be traced in the fossil 

 remains of animal forms which are now extinct. 



The general gradation in form and structure, and 

 the unity of plan in question appear to Evolutionists 

 inexplicable, except on the assumption that the higher 

 are lineal descendants through a long series of genera- 

 tions of the lower animal forms. This alleged inex- 

 plicability, however, appears to me to exist not in the 

 thing itself, but in the peculiarly constituted mind 

 which entertains the idea. No scientific reason can 

 be adduced in support of the doctrine of a progres- 



