REMARKS ON THE FIGURES OF PLATE XXXVII. 
THE THORACIC ARCHETYPE UNDERGOES A GRADUATED METAMORPHOSIS OF QUANTITY. 
LUS quantity or unity is the interpreter of minus quantity or variety. The design apparent in the 
plus figure illumines the design which characterises the minus figure. And because those figures of 
plus and minus quantity manifest a relationship to each other as quantities, so do they mutually interpret 
‘the functional fitnesses of each other as designs. The plus or archetype unit of series may undergo all the 
degrees of metamorphosis or proportioning, of which all minus quantities standing in the same graduated 
series with itself are themselves the examples. This plus unit of series is like an integer, as being the 
collective symbol of plurality ; it is like a noun of multitude, expressive of the whole sum of its simples or 
individuals, It is a mark or form drawn by the designing hand of Nature, and, as hones her own creation, 
is the proper emblem of herself. It is the circle, the inclosing line, beginning and ending in itself, and all 
: which it embraces within its circuit constitute its parts. It is the thing inclosing all things, and therefore 
all things or parts which it does imclose or sum together as a whole quantity constitute it as the plus 
created entity. The parts which fashion this circle or emblem of infinity cannot escape from it or from 
themselves, except through the porch of increation. There is no other means of egress for any part or 
parts which this circle spans, except that of metamorphosis. Its several parts or proportionals may be 
subtracted, and by this subtraction of quantity proper to the circle this latter may undergo a change ; 
but while we know that it is the circle which has suffered this change, causing hiatus in its 
anaee created entirety, so does it become as impossible to annihilate the idea of the circle or 
whole quantity, as it is to form any true idea of what does not relate of the entity of this ‘circle, 
natura or quantity. | The whole quantity at present persistent as to all its parts, contains in 
itself the entire history of the serial proportionals; for as this whole quantity is a plus ens, 
containing all the minus proportionals of itself, and as those proportionals relate of itself and of 
nothing else but itself, the entirety, so must all the like proportionals which stand in series with 
this circle or whole relate severally of all those circles of which they ane the parts or proportionals. 
Those circles constitute the plus and absolute uniformity of series. 
No anatomist has ever yet seen that unit of the serial 
skeleton axis which the human anatomist has named the 
dorsal vertebra, produced separately from the thoracic. 
costee. The name “dorsalvertebra” is altogether inseparable 
from the name “ costa,” and when the human anatomist 
describes the dorsal vertebra as a spimmal unit per se, the 
costal appendages as forms developed per se, and the 
sternal figure as another structure requiring separate 
description; when he thus neglects to terpret the con- 
nected three as a whole quantity, as a complete design, 
for the fashioning of which whole either element is alto- 
gether subservient, or else is unintelligible considered of 
itself—then it is that he may be said to fall as far short 
of recognising the design of Nature in this particular, as 
if he separated a carpal and phalangeal ossicle from the 
skeleton hand, laboured out an isolated description of 
each of these elements, and told the long account of all - 
their modes and measurement as quantities, without ever 
