REMARKS ON THE FIGURES OF PLATE XLV. 
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THE COSTO-VERTEBRAL PLUS ARCHETYPES GRADUALLY DECLINE INTO THE VERTEBRAL OR MINUS 
QUANTITIES OF. SERIES. 
QUBTRACTED quantity is the cause why an interval or minus fomdiicd happens in a plus series. 
If this interval be the design or effect, there can be no doubt that the subtraction from plus 
serial archetypes is the cause of this effect, and consequently it is not by the comparison of special 
designs as mechanical fitnesses that we can ever hope to attain to a knowledge of the law which 
produces these; but this knowledge can only be obtained by comparing those various designs under 
the ideas that they are the various proportionals of a common whole quantity, which is the plus 
archetype of these designs severally as well as collectively contemplated. If, for example, we still 
continue to compare the various series of 5,5, 5, 9,9, 9,5, 5,5, with the still various series of 9, 5, 5, 
9,9, 5,5, 5,9, and both these ae another various series of 9, 5, 9,5, 8, 7,5, 4,3, 2,1, then we may 
safely assert that this comparison of endless serial variety can never rise to the idea of uniformity ; 
and without having first established this standard uniformity whereunto variety may be compared. for 
the illustration of the law by which variety has occurred, the rule of comparison can never estimate 
the track of creation or the designs thereby produced. 
But all minus or special varieties may be referred to the standard of plus uniformity. The plus 
series contains the subject of the minus series, and the comparison of the latter with the former must 
lead to the icenTCeeion that the lesser has been planned of its own special design from such another 
series as the greater. Under this idea we refer the series of 9, 5, 5,5, 9, 9,9, 5, 5,9, to the plus series 
Ot O92 OOO Oe 9, for explanation, and in the same way we may refer every minus serial variety 
which it is possible to produce by metamorphosis of quantity proper to the plus series of 9. If the 
integer 9 be in every sense of the word equal to the integer 9, then 8, or 7, or 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 are 
quantities severally various to the integer 9, by reason of various degrees of quantity subtracted from 9. 
The mammalian serial axes may for the like reason be regarded as special varieties severally proportioned 
from an archetype plus series of costo-vertebral integers. 
The comparison of skeleton forms, such as Nature 
presents them, and offers them to our consideration as com- 
pleted and fitting designs, can never teach us the law by 
which she has created them. If we continue for ever to 
compare fig. A to B, and to C, and afterwards carry 
investigation, by the like mode of comparison, through all 
the species of mammalia, all those of the aves, the reptilia, 
and the pisces, and for no other purpose than to mark the 
points of character by which they manifest common 
analogy and special differences, the science of comparison 
will never rise to recognise the law of skeleton formation. 
It is not by an everlasting repetition of the fact, that 
skeleton figures, such as we see them, do evidently 
describe a somewhat common identity of character, that 
we can ever hope to interpret the law of their formation. 
The common analogy of skeletons is well-known, and has 
been so to the disciples of the Stagyrite. They are 
planned upon a common type; we confess to this, and 
there the science of comparison at present stands. But 
skeleton forms are evidently varied by a countless number 
of plus and minus characters, and these are they which at 
present draw up a barrier against advancement, and through 
