1848-49 ARCHETYPE OF THE SKELETON 
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CHAPTER X 
1848-49 
‘ The Archetype and Homologies of the Vertebrate Skeleton,’ 1848 
— The Cuming Shell Collection — The Great Sea-serpent 
Emerson and Guizot — Literary Work and Lectures — Death of 
Mr. and Mrs. Clift, 1849— Prince Charles Lucien Bonaparte— 
Member of the Commission on Smithfield Market. 
In January 1848 a correspondent wrote to Owen 
asking permission to publish his ‘ Archetype of 
the Skeleton.’ The following reply is interesting 
as containing Owen’s views on the origin of 
Species : — 
‘ As I do not know the secondary cause by 
Which it may have pleased the Creator to intro- 
duce organised species into this planet, I have 
aever expressed orally or in print an opinion on 
the subject. Whenever in the course of special 
Investigations I have met with phenomena bearing 
Upon the hypothetical secondary cause to which 
you allude, I have pointed out such bearing 
Incidentally ; but the hypothesis itself, “ transmu- 
tation of specific characters,” which is always 
Coupled with the idea of a specific direction — viz. 
^‘■pwards — has not been the subject of any express 
