2 REMARKS ON THE FIGURE OF PLATE XXXIX. 
where it is wanting, still the ideal circle passes through 
that space which is proper to it alone. 
Nature is order, serial order; and when she meta- 
morphoses any region of archetype quantity she never 
introduces into that space any form of absolutely dissimilar 
kind. Where a rib is wanting between two others of 
series we never find its place occupied by a vertebral struc- 
ture; when a vertebra is wanting in series, we never find a 
rib occupying its place, consequently all structures through 
which the anterior and posterior median lines pass must 
be regarded as serial relatives, each structure being some 
part of an archetype, such as fig. B. 
In drawing the opposite figures our object has been to 
represent whole quantities, and the proportionals of these 
in the same comparative estimate, whereby the law of 
design may be comprehended under our notice. This law, 
we have endeavoured to show, operates for design by the 
subtraction of quantity from whole serial figures; and 
hence that the serial quantities are now presented to us 
in plus and minus variety. This variety is caused by 
metamorphosis; and the effect of this process is design. 
The serial whole and uniform quantities are represented 
by figs. B, E, H, L, O, whereas the serial minus and various 
quantities are those which present in the characters of figs. 
A, D, G, K, N, and figs. C, F, I, M, P. Those minus quan- 
tities have been severally referred to the plus quantities, in 
order to prove that they themselves are the proportional 
varieties of such plus originals ; under which interpretation 
their actual minus condition may be best explained. 
Now the collective regard and connected comparison of 
the triple series of the opposite figures will at once deter- 
mine the choice as to that form which presents in whole 
condition, and which consequently shall, with most pro- 
priety, bear the name of archetype. ‘This whole quantity 
evidently cannot be found throughout the serial line of figs. 
A, D, G, K, N, or the series of C, F, I, M, P, for all these 
figures vary as to quantity, and still may be severally com- 
pared to the series of figs. B,E,H,L,O. The vertebral 
piece a 8, of fig. A, together with the sternal piece of fig. A, 
are both to be found in the whole quantity of fig. B, and 
evidently the figure which we ordinarily term vertebra is 
only a proportional of such as fig. B, which describes the 
circle from dorsum to sternum. And while we find that 
both the sternal and vertebral pieces of fig. B are produced 
as integral parts of this whole quantity, and also that, by 
the metamorphosis of its coste, it would then represent 
fig. A, whose vertebral and sternal pieces we find separate 
from one another; it must hence be fully apparent that 
fig. B is the original or plus archetype quantity of fig. A, 
and also that the presential minus character of fig. A is 
chiefly owing to the subtraction of costal quantity. Hence 
we say that as fig. B passing through various degrees of 
metamorphosis may from time to time represent any serial 
quantity of figs. A, D, G, K,N, or of C, F,1,M,P, so for 
this reason may we understand that the originals of these 
latter are such as the series of whole quantities figured in 
figs. B, H, H, L, O, and therefore that B, E, H, L, O are the 
only quantities which can represent serial uniformity. 
We call fig. B unity,* because it is a whole quantity or 
integer complete, continuous throughout its periphery, and 
as perfectly enclosing space as the circle. As a whole 
quantity fig. B may be said to contain+ and express the 
several minus varieties of figs. A, D, G, K,N, and also of — 
figs. C, F,I,M,P. As a whole quantity fig. B binds 
together { and amasses all the particular and various pro- 
portional quantities of figs. A, D, G, K, N, and figs. C, F, I, 
M, P, and moreover expresses the law of their proportional 
variety and consequent designs. In fig. B we view the 
prime model, which undergoes metamorphosis of quantity 
for proportional variety. And in this metamorphosis of 
fig. B, which can produce any proportional variety between 
the extremes of plus and minus, we track the progress of 
design and the process of Nature. The repetition of fig. 
B in series is equal to the series of figs. B, E, H, L, O, 
which is absolute serial uniformity. 
* Unitas est sine commissura continuatio et duorum inter se conjunctorum corporum tactus.—Seneca.—Watur. Queest., lib. xi. ; Bibl. Class. 
Lat., Lemaire, vol. 1xxxvii. 
{ The great advantage of this idea of a whole is, that a greater quantity of truth may be said to be contained and expressed in it.—Sir Joshua 
Reynolds’s Discourses, Discourse x1. 
t Tout phenoméne dans la nature est lié a U’ensemble ; et, quoique nos observations nous semblent isolées, quoique les experiences ne soient 
pour nous que des fait individuels, il n’en résulte pas qu’elles le soient réellement ; 27 s’agit seulement de savoir comment nous trouverons le lien 
qui unit ces faits ou ces evénéments entre eux.—Goethe. Giuvres d'Histoire Naturelle, Introduction, p. xi. Traduits par Martins. 
