240 GENERATION. 



these first arrangements go on expanding the animal according to the 

 first principles arising out of them 1 . 



"Whether the principle of monstrosity be coeval with the first arrange- 

 ment, or arise in the progress of expansion, is not easily determined in 

 many [instances of monstrosity] ; hut it is certainly not the case in all ; 

 for many take place at a late period, and would seem to be owing 

 to accident, or to some immediate impression ; but still there must be a 

 susceptibility for such, which susceptibility must be original. 



Most preternatural formations of the body which a monster is born 

 with, arise, I should imagine, out of a defect in the first arrangement 

 of the original matter. However, it may be possible that accident in 

 the womb or egg 2 , or a defect taking place there, might be a means of 

 producing a double part, or might hinder a part from forming altogether, 

 or [might cause] even a preternatural formation. Probably Monstrosity 

 might be reduced to the same principle as that of accidental injury, 

 from which the parts cannot recover perfectly, but recover defectively 

 or with deformity. 



In animals, it may be a question whether monsters of all kinds are 

 as common to them in a state of nature as they are in the cultivated 

 state. I should suspect not. This we are certain of, that so far as 

 size, shape, colour, peculiarity in the coverings, modes of defence, [<fcc. 

 are concerned, these] are all varied from the natural state by cultiva- 

 tion. This is shown every day in domestic animals. 



Monsters are not peculiar to animals : they are less so in them, 

 perhaps, than in any species of matter. The vegetable [kingdom] 

 abounds with monsters ; and perhaps the uncommon formation of 

 many crystals may be brought within the same species of production, 

 and accounted for upon the same principle, viz. some influence inter- 

 fering with the established law of regular formation. 



Monsters in Crystals. 



Monsters in crystals may arise from the same cause, as mentioned 

 in the ' Introduction ;' viz. either a wrong arrangement of the parts of 

 which the crystal is to be composed, or a defect in the formation, from 



1 [Paraphrase. Every animal is formed from a portion of animal matter endowed 

 with life and actions, which is either produced from semen deposited in an egg. or 

 from a part, or hud, of the parents' body, having in both cases a power of expansion 

 if due material be supplied; and expanding according to the original principle of 

 growth peculiar to the species.] 



2 [G-eoffroy St. Hilaire is said to have made monsters by covering part of an egg 

 with a layer impenetrable to the atmosphere during its incubation.] 



