ele lS t——~— 
REMARKS ON THE FIGURES OF PLATE. XXXII. 
THE MAMMALIAN SPINAL SERIES POSSESSES IN GENERAL A BILATERAL SYMMETRY, ALTHOUGH THE UNITS OF 
SERIES ARE IN PLUS AND MINUS CONDITION, AND THE EXCEPTIONS TO BILATERAL SYMMETRY ALWAYS 
OCCUR AT THE MINUS REGIONS. 
(Aves and effect cannot be contemplated independently of each other. The antecedent holds the 
consequence in obedience to itself, and the knowledge of a cause is therefore equal to the knowledge 
of the effect of such cause, for if a+ be known as a given quantity, and a—éd be known as another, 
then we understand by the comparison of both these quantities in what degree they are similar, and 
in how far they are various. We learn that a+0 in the presence of a—6 are two creations occurring 
by cause and effect ; for a+ is a quantity by reason of the addition of 4, and this is a cause, whereas 
a—b differs from a+6 by reason of the subtraction of 6, and this is an effect. Now for that matter, 
the cause may be said to be the same as the effect, so intimately are they bound together ; for if we 
add 6 to a, this addition is cause and effect at the “oan time ; and otherwise, if we subtract 6 from 
a, then such subtraction stands both for cause and effect equally. Hffect follows cause just as the shadow 
follows substance while the light shines upon that substance ; and from this it will be inferred that light, 
substance, and shadow mutually combine, as well for the existence of effect, as for the existence of cause, 
since it seems true that light without substance can never produce a shadow, any more than substance can 
_ effect it without the light. The serial order of plus and minus quantities represents in somewhat the same 
mode this independent mutuality of cause and effect ; for while subtraction from plus is at the same time 
the cause and effect of a minus figure, so will that cause and effect take place to no purpose (so far as 
regards our own appreciation of the process) if we do not bring the full light of comparison to demonstrate 
the law of nature thus operating. If from the quantity a+6 we can subtract 4, and thereby produce a—d 
as an effect, then we assert that such effect cannot be viewed irrelatively of the cause which, by the 
addition of 6, can again reinstate the whole quantity, ora+d. Andif this operation may be observed in 
Nature, then may we infer that she is at the same time both cause and effect by process of subtracting from 
plus quantity, and thereby becoming creative of minus variety, which variety must consequently be understood 
as having been degraded from whole quantities, which latter can only be the absolute serial uniformity. The 
cause of variety is the subtraction from plus uniformity, and therefore the cause of uniformity is the 
persistence of whole quantities. 
Serial and symmetrical homology is the character of 
the mammal skeleton axis. The one side is simply a 
repetition of the other, and any one unit of thoracic series 
would be repeated by the form preceding and succeeding 
itself, were it not that the law of serial degradation inter- 
feres with serial plus repetition. So would any one unit 
of the serial axis, from first to last, fully represent all 
the thoracic units, but for this law of proportioning ; 
which strikes certain members of those serial units here 
and there in minus form, through the spinal axis, and 
hence arise those regions of series named cervical, lumbar, 
caudal, &c. 
A series of circles such as that described by fig. A, 
possesses this plus uniform character of serial and sym- 
