226 METAMOEPHOSES OF MAN 



therefore, fulfil the office of nurses, and may be com- 

 pared to the Medusa in the hydroid state, which carries 

 and nourishes within itself the germ of the true 

 Medusa. There is, however, this distinction : what the 

 insect does voluntarily, through the operation of in- 

 stinct betraying itself in acts, the Scyphistoma does 

 through organic activity alone, and unconsciously. 

 In both cases Nature attains the same end ; viz., the 

 completion of the final product, by the assistance, 

 not of intermediate generations, but of several broods 

 belonging to the same generation. 



The errors of the Danish savant's mode of reasoning 

 are apparent. In one instance, he asserts exactly 

 what he wants to prove; and in another, he draws 

 a comparison based upon results, although on his own 

 admission the processes which produce these results 

 are totally different. 



Notwithstanding these faults, we repeat that Steen- 

 strup's work conferred a decided benefit on science, 

 and this service was appreciated. What seldom 

 occurs, scientific men accepted at the very outset all 

 the truthful views of an author, who associated 

 together several phenomena, which till then had been 

 regarded as isolated or anomalous : they opposed his 

 purely theoretical views alone. Many attempts were 

 made to re-establish them, and the controversies were 

 occasionally of a very exciting character. We cannot 

 enter into the details of these discussions. We shall 

 limit ourselves to a resume of the chief opinions put 

 forward by the most competent authorities. 



In the highest rank, in every respect, we must 

 place the work of Professor Owen. This naturalist, 

 who, from the extent of his labours, should be called 



