REMARKS ON THE FIGURES OF PLATE XXXIV. i 3 
the Academic absolute acatalepsia; and we believe that since 
even Pyrrho himself could not doubt the assertion that, if 
from two we subtract one and find that one remains, so 
may we consider this remainder one to be the proportional 
of two, as it formally existed. Our reading of comparative 
osteology we would endeavour to present here as free of 
mystery as the above rule; and when we say that unit 
20n of figs. A or B is a proportional of such another 
quantity as unit 19m, of the same figures, then, as there 
can be no reason to deny that units 20” and 19m are 
both proportionals of such as unit 15 2, so must the ideas 
(tracking the serial order. of nature) arrange themselves 
in the serial order of truth, as certain as the actuality of 
created form itself. And of such an order of truth springs , 
the idea of uniformity, under the interpretation that all 
those serial quantities which are minus compared with 15 h 
are the metamorphoses of such quantities as 154. Under 
this reading we do not assert ad impossibile that all the 
serial quantities of figs. A and B are actually equal to one 
another, but only that such as they stand they may be 
accounted the degraded proportionals of such plus quanti- 
ties as were once equal, and that this comparison of serial 
quantities, which leads us to form the idea of original plus 
uniformity regarding figs. A and B, finds further support 
in universal comparison carried through an animal 
kingdom. 
A graduated or converging series is that design which 
characterises figs. A and B. The same order of series is 
rendered evident in the designs of all the skeleton axes 
throughout the animal scale, with this exception: viz., 
that the same numerical units of series in each skeleton 
axis do not present the same degrees of metamorphosis or 
subtracted quantity. In this latter particular they vary 
from each other, and owing to this simple law of variation 
we find that all their manifold designs result. According 
to this rule of varying degrees of metamorphosis being 
practised upon varying numerical units of series happen 
figs. A and B, held in comparison with all skeleton axes of 
human and anthropomorphous type. The anomalies of 
serial quantities simply occur-as excess and defect ; and, 
therefore, we proceed to inquire what is the plus excess or 
prime model of skeleton quantity ? What is the archetype 
plus sum compared to which all minus quantities shall 
evince their infinite degrees of design, whether as propor- 
tionally fitting or proportionally ‘ anomalous.” 
The skeleton axis of serial quantities is like a series of 
the digital numbers.* Converging series is a creation by 
graduated subtraction, performed upon absolutely equal 
serial quantities ; and to express our ideas of this law of 
creation in the simplest way possible, we shall remark that 
the comparison of the converging series 9,8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 
2, 1,4, 4, 4, &c., with the uniform plus series 9,9, 9,9,9 9, 
9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, illustrates the mode of comparison which we 
hold between figs. A or B, (as constituted of a converging 
or proportional series of quantities,) and that plus uniform 
series of thoracic or costo-vertebral archetypes which is in 
nature, and compared to which we consider figs. A or B as 
minus designs. 
follow : 
We symbolise the serial order of those quantities of figs. 
A or B thus—4, 5,5, 5, 9, 9, 9,9, 9, 9,5, 5, 5, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,4. 
In this series we discover variable quantities to exist, they 
Our reasons for this opinion are as 
are simply plus and minus quantities, and are evidently 
proportionals standing separately in series ; and, therefore, 
as they are distinct entities, so must they be regarded as 
distinct proportionals of distinct plus quantities. Thus 
when we regard 5 to be the proportional of 9, we can only 
view it as the proportional of such as 9, for the quantity 5 
being created in series separate to 9 cannot be accounted. 
as part of 9, but only as part of such as 9. 
we find 5 serially following 9, we compare 5 in one place 
Hence, when 
with 9 in another place, by saymg 5+4=9 just as 
9—4=5, from which we infer that the quantity 5 is a de- 
sign by the subtraction of 4 from its origimal quantity : viz. 
9 ; and forthe same reason we infer that each of the quan- 
tities 5, or 4,3,2,1,4, which happen in series with 9, are the 
several proportionals of such originals as 9. Consequently, 
when we compare the series 5, 5,5, 5, 9,9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 5, 5, 5, 
5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 4, with the original plus series from which it 
has been metamorphosed, we may describe this plus series 
as 9,9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9,9, 9,9, 9, 9,9, &c., and this is uni- 
formity unexceptionable. 
Now in the series 5, 5, 5, 5,9, 9,9, 9, 9, 9, 5, 5, 5, 5, 4, 3, 
2,1, 4, by which we typify figs. A or B, we draw the series 
of 5 as descriptive of the cervical quantities, the series of 9 
as an example of thoracic plus quantities, the series of 5 
succeeding 9, as emblematical of lumbar quantities, and 
the converging series of 4,3,2,1,4, as representing the 
sacro-caudal series. And, by the above rule, as 1+8=9, 
as 2+7=9, as 34+6=9, as4+5=9,so5+4=9. There- 
fore, we conclude that a caudal ossicle, a sacral, lumbar, or 
cervical vertebra plus a certain amount of osseous quan- 
tityt to be found im the costo-vertebral archetype will 
severally equal this archetype ; ergo, those archetypes are 
to be accounted the plus absolute uniformity, and com- 
pared with which we understand not only the actual or 
presential design and fitness of figs. A or B, but we also 
comprehend the natural process of their creation. 
* “Si dans Vimmense variété que nous présentent tous les étres animés qui peuplent l’universe, nous choisissons un animal, ou méme 
le corps de Vhomme, pour servir de base 4 nos connaissances, et y rapporter, par la voie de la comparaison, les autres étres organisés, nous 
trouverons que, quoique tous ces étres existent solitairement, et que tous varient par des différences graduées a l’infini, il existe en méme temps 
un dessein primitif et général qu’on peut suivre trés-loin et dont les dégradations sont bien plus lentes que celles des figures et des autres rapports 
apparentes.”—Buffon, Uniformite du Plan général de la Nature, tome vii., p. 24. 
+ “ Puisque la marche de la nature se fait par des dégrés souvent imperceptibles, et par des nuances toujours les moindres possibles, toutes ses 
productions se tiennent les unes aux autres d’aussi prés qu’il se peut, quoique la somme des différences accumulées le long de 1’échelle universelle 
des étres puisse répandre du doute et de Vincertitude sur la liaison des plus éleyés avec les plus bas.”—Robinet, Vue Philos. dela Gradation 
naturelle des Formes de l’ Etre, chap. i., p. 2. 
