xlviii 



THE QUINARY SYSTEM. 



them, though they are neither so wild nor mischievous as his own 

 most absurd analogies, apparently derived from the planetary 

 vortices of Des Cartes, whereby he describes an animal, man for 

 instance, as a sort of vortex or focus (especes de foyers) into which 

 dead substances are successively carried by a whirling motion, 

 (mouvement de tourbillon,) and combined in various ways into 

 living existence.* This is what Leibnitz would have called un 

 Cartesianisme outre, as he did the similar atheistic system of 

 Spinoza. It appears very clearly, that a similar fanciful analogy 

 with the motions of the heavenly bodies, which led the Baron to 

 talk such utter nonsense, suggested the Quinary circles. " There 

 is incontestible evidence," says Mr. Swainson, " to prove, that 

 the same system which is found to govern the heavenly bodies — a 

 system plainly circular, is typically represented on earth, and is 

 that upon which the whole of organized matter has originally been 

 planned. * * * * Thus, whether our attention be directed to the 

 animal or vegetable kingdom, to the terrestrial or the celestial 

 world, one plan alone is discernible ; and that itself is typical of 

 Eternity." It is well known that " the Ancients represented 

 Eternity under the form of a circular serpent; the tail passing 

 into the mouth." f As all this is obviously a mere poetic fancy, 

 unproved and improbable, I cannot surely be called upon to refute 

 it by argument. 



" In allusion," says Mr. Westwood, "to the controversy between 

 MM. G. St. Hilaire and Cuvier, respecting a general typical 

 formation of all animals, ******* 0 ur own naturalist, Mr. Mac 

 Leay, so far coincides with the opinions of the former, as to 

 consider that the modifications of a typical structure may be 

 traced through numerous objects of very different appearance ; 

 but he considers that nature has adopted two distinct plans, that 

 the vertebrate and annulose animals respectively represent the 

 perfection of each of those plans, and that all other animals may 

 be regarded as formed upon one or other of them."| 



If this were all, however, those who admire the romance of 

 science, might be left quietly to enjoy their dreams ; but when 



* Cuvier, Lecons d'Anat. Comp. i. 5, 6. 

 t Winter's Wreath for 1828, p. 295—7. 

 X Mag. of Nat. Hist. iv. 82, and Horse Entomol. pt. ii. p. 214. 



