8 PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. 



imagination, and shewn to be the real result of an induction, no 

 matter how slight the foundation was, on which such an inference 

 was founded — when we make such an experiment as this, we imme- 

 diately become convinced that our system certainly rests on analo- 

 gies which are altogether deceptive, and that our conclusion is nothing 

 more than the mischievous fruits of false reasoning. After all, in 

 order to give a character of truth to this system, it is indispensable 

 that we should set out with some definite notions respecting the cir- 

 cumstances under which the early animals were found. We must be- 

 come acquainted with the succession of alterations which these cir- 

 cumstances have undergone down to the era when that state of 

 stability was attained at which we are now arrived, which admit, even, 

 the supposition that the early animals were very simply constructed- 

 Now, with respect to all these various points, our ignorance is abso- 

 lutely complete, so that we are unable to do more at present on this 

 question than to indulge in vague speculations. It would, after that, 

 be necessary to show, by well-conducted observations, whether or not 

 these conditions exercised any influence on the developement of the 

 animals ; and, also, what is the influence of certain animals amongst 

 them, if it be not the influence of the whole. Alas ! upon these topics, 

 as well as on the former, our ignorance is just as profound, and our con- 

 jectures just as fruitless. In fact, we are unable to estimate at all 

 the influence of the conditions of the past race of animals, or of the 

 existing one, in modifying their respective species ; and hence, we 

 should endeavour to find in the facts, to which we have access, and in 

 the species which we have the opportunity of observing, those myste- 

 rious modifications, the causes of which, though hidden from our eyes, 

 still must, of necessity, be consonant with nature, and, therefore, de- 

 pendant on one or the other of the conditions in which we find the 

 animals presented to us. Otherwise, where could we obtain- the 

 smallest foundation for the theory of such an effect of circumstances 

 on the principal organic systems of animals ? The truth really is this, 

 that there is no fact whatever, of this description, amongst the records 

 of science; for no person in the world has ever seen any species 

 transform its state of existence to any extent, or in any shape, in order 

 to be converted either totally or even partially into another species ; 

 nor does it require a deeper knowledge of this science, than may be 

 obtained from a slight initiation into it, to believe that this transfor- 

 mation, however tardily we may be allowed to suppose that the gra- 

 dual process was carried on, is perfectly inconceivable. These results, 

 to which we are led, by simple enquiry, alone are of such a nature, as 

 that they may give rise to charges against us of making exaggerated. 



