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e¡¡other¡¡parts¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡retrograde¡¡fashion¡¡nature¡¡often¡¡produces¡¡cases¡¡where¡¡the¡¡style¡¡and¡¡stigma¡¡£¨Narben£©¡¡become¡¡retransformed¡¡into¡¡petalsthat¡¡is£»¡¡the¡¡Ranunculus¡¡Asiaticus¡¡becomes¡¡double¡¡by¡¡transforming¡¡the¡¡stigma¡¡and¡¡style¡¡of¡¡the¡¡fruit¡­receptacle¡¡into¡¡real¡¡petals£»¡¡while¡¡the¡¡stamens¡¡are¡¡often¡¡found¡¡unchanged¡¡immediately¡¡behind¡¡the¡¡corolla¡£

¡¨In¡¡the¡¡seed¡¡receptacles£»¡¡in¡¡spite¡¡of¡¡their¡¡formation£»¡¡of¡¡their¡¡special¡¡object£»¡¡and¡¡of¡¡their¡¡method¡¡of¡¡being¡¡joined¡¡together£»¡¡we¡¡cannot¡¡fail¡¡to¡¡recognize¡¡the¡¡leaf¡¡form¡£¡¡¡¡Thus£»¡¡for¡¡instance£»¡¡the¡¡pod¡¡would¡¡be¡¡a¡¡simple¡¡leaf¡¡folded¡¡and¡¡grown¡¡together¡¡on¡¡its¡¡margin£»¡¡the¡¡siliqua¡¡would¡¡consist¡¡of¡¡more¡¡leaves¡¡folded¡¡over¡¡another£»¡¡the¡¡compound¡¡receptacles¡¡would¡¡be¡¡explained¡¡as¡¡being¡¡several¡¡leaves¡¡which£»¡¡being¡¡united¡¡above¡¡one¡¡centre£»¡¡keep¡¡their¡¡inward¡¡parts¡¡separate¡¡and¡¡are¡¡joined¡¡on¡¡their¡¡margins¡£¡¡We¡¡can¡¡convince¡¡ourselves¡¡of¡¡this¡¡by¡¡actual¡¡sight¡¡when¡¡such¡¡composite¡¡capsules¡¡fall¡¡apart¡¡after¡¡becoming¡¡ripe£»¡¡because¡¡then¡¡every¡¡part¡¡displays¡¡an¡¡opened¡¡pod¡£¡¨£§1£§


The¡¡theory¡¡thus¡¡elaborated¡¡of¡¡the¡¡metamorphosis¡¡of¡¡parts¡¡was¡¡presently¡¡given¡¡greater¡¡generality¡¡through¡¡extension¡¡to¡¡the¡¡animal¡¡kingdom£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡doctrine¡¡which¡¡Goethe¡¡and¡¡Oken¡¡advanced¡¡independently£»¡¡that¡¡the¡¡vertebrate¡¡skull¡¡is¡¡essentially¡¡a¡¡modified¡¡and¡¡developed¡¡vertebra¡£¡¡These¡¡were¡¡conceptions¡¡worthy¡¡of¡¡a¡¡poetimpossible£»¡¡indeed£»¡¡for¡¡any¡¡mind¡¡that¡¡had¡¡not¡¡the¡¡poetic¡¡faculty¡¡of¡¡correlation¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡in¡¡this¡¡case¡¡the¡¡poet's¡¡vision¡¡was¡¡prophetic¡¡of¡¡a¡¡future¡¡view¡¡of¡¡the¡¡most¡¡prosaic¡¡science¡£¡¡The¡¡doctrine¡¡of¡¡metamorphosis¡¡of¡¡parts¡¡soon¡¡came¡¡to¡¡be¡¡regarded¡¡as¡¡of¡¡fundamental¡¡importance¡£

But¡¡the¡¡doctrine¡¡had¡¡implications¡¡that¡¡few¡¡of¡¡its¡¡early¡¡advocates¡¡realized¡£¡¡If¡¡all¡¡the¡¡parts¡¡of¡¡a¡¡flowersepal£»¡¡petal£»¡¡stamen£»¡¡pistil£»¡¡with¡¡their¡¡countless¡¡deviations¡¡of¡¡contour¡¡and¡¡colorare¡¡but¡¡modifications¡¡of¡¡the¡¡leaf£»¡¡such¡¡modification¡¡implies¡¡a¡¡marvellous¡¡differentiation¡¡and¡¡development¡£¡¡To¡¡assert¡¡that¡¡a¡¡stamen¡¡is¡¡a¡¡metamorphosed¡¡leaf¡¡means£»¡¡if¡¡it¡¡means¡¡anything£»¡¡that¡¡in¡¡the¡¡long¡¡sweep¡¡of¡¡time¡¡the¡¡leaf¡¡has¡¡by¡¡slow¡¡or¡¡sudden¡¡gradations¡¡changed¡¡its¡¡character¡¡through¡¡successive¡¡generations£»¡¡until¡¡the¡¡offspring£»¡¡so¡¡to¡¡speak£»¡¡of¡¡a¡¡true¡¡leaf¡¡has¡¡become¡¡a¡¡stamen¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡if¡¡such¡¡a¡¡metamorphosis¡¡as¡¡this¡¡is¡¡possibleif¡¡the¡¡seemingly¡¡wide¡¡gap¡¡between¡¡leaf¡¡and¡¡stamen¡¡may¡¡be¡¡spanned¡¡by¡¡the¡¡modification¡¡of¡¡a¡¡line¡¡of¡¡organismswhere¡¡does¡¡the¡¡possibility¡¡of¡¡modification¡¡of¡¡organic¡¡type¡¡find¡¡its¡¡bounds£¿¡¡¡¡Why¡¡may¡¡not¡¡the¡¡modification¡¡of¡¡parts¡¡go¡¡on¡¡along¡¡devious¡¡lines¡¡until¡¡the¡¡remote¡¡descendants¡¡of¡¡an¡¡organism¡¡are¡¡utterly¡¡unlike¡¡that¡¡organism£¿¡¡¡¡Why¡¡may¡¡we¡¡not¡¡thus¡¡account¡¡for¡¡the¡¡development¡¡of¡¡various¡¡species¡¡of¡¡beings¡¡all¡¡sprung¡¡from¡¡one¡¡parent¡¡stock£¿¡¡¡¡That£»¡¡too£»¡¡is¡¡a¡¡poet's¡¡dream£»¡¡but¡¡is¡¡it¡¡only¡¡a¡¡dream£¿¡¡Goethe¡¡thought¡¡not¡£¡¡¡¡Out¡¡of¡¡his¡¡studies¡¡of¡¡metamorphosis¡¡of¡¡parts¡¡there¡¡grew¡¡in¡¡his¡¡mind¡¡the¡¡belief¡¡that¡¡the¡¡multitudinous¡¡species¡¡of¡¡plants¡¡and¡¡animals¡¡about¡¡us¡¡have¡¡been¡¡evolved¡¡from¡¡fewer¡¡and¡¡fewer¡¡earlier¡¡parent¡¡types£»¡¡like¡¡twigs¡¡of¡¡a¡¡giant¡¡tree¡¡drawing¡¡their¡¡nurture¡¡from¡¡the¡¡same¡¡primal¡¡root¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡a¡¡bold¡¡and¡¡revolutionary¡¡thought£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡world¡¡regarded¡¡it¡¡as¡¡but¡¡the¡¡vagary¡¡of¡¡a¡¡poet¡£


ERASMUS¡¡DARWIN

Just¡¡at¡¡the¡¡time¡¡when¡¡this¡¡thought¡¡was¡¡taking¡¡form¡¡in¡¡Goethe's¡¡brain£»¡¡the¡¡same¡¡idea¡¡was¡¡germinating¡¡in¡¡the¡¡mind¡¡of¡¡another¡¡philosopher£»¡¡an¡¡Englishman¡¡of¡¡international¡¡fame£»¡¡Dr¡£¡¡Erasmus¡¡Darwin£»¡¡who£»¡¡while¡¡he¡¡lived£»¡¡enjoyed¡¡the¡¡widest¡¡popularity¡¡as¡¡a¡¡poet£»¡¡the¡¡rhymed¡¡couplets¡¡of¡¡his¡¡Botanic¡¡Garden¡¡being¡¡quoted¡¡everywhere¡¡with¡¡admiration¡£¡¡And¡¡posterity¡¡repudiating¡¡the¡¡verse¡¡which¡¡makes¡¡the¡¡body¡¡of¡¡the¡¡book£»¡¡yet¡¡grants¡¡permanent¡¡value¡¡to¡¡the¡¡book¡¡itself£»¡¡because£»¡¡forsooth£»¡¡its¡¡copious¡¡explanatory¡¡foot¡­notes¡¡furnish¡¡an¡¡outline¡¡of¡¡the¡¡status¡¡of¡¡almost¡¡every¡¡department¡¡of¡¡science¡¡of¡¡the¡¡time¡£

But¡¡even¡¡though¡¡he¡¡lacked¡¡the¡¡highest¡¡art¡¡of¡¡the¡¡versifier£»¡¡Darwin¡¡had£»¡¡beyond¡¡peradventure£»¡¡the¡¡imagination¡¡of¡¡a¡¡poet¡¡coupled¡¡with¡¡profound¡¡scientific¡¡knowledge£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡was¡¡his¡¡poetic¡¡insight£»¡¡correlating¡¡organisms¡¡seemingly¡¡diverse¡¡in¡¡structure¡¡and¡¡imbuing¡¡the¡¡lowliest¡¡flower¡¡with¡¡a¡¡vital¡¡personality£»¡¡which¡¡led¡¡him¡¡to¡¡suspect¡¡that¡¡there¡¡are¡¡no¡¡lines¡¡of¡¡demarcation¡¡in¡¡nature¡£¡¡¡¨Can¡¡it¡¡be£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡queries£»¡¡¡¨that¡¡one¡¡form¡¡of¡¡organism¡¡has¡¡developed¡¡from¡¡another£»¡¡that¡¡different¡¡species¡¡are¡¡really¡¡but¡¡modified¡¡descendants¡¡of¡¡one¡¡parent¡¡stock£¿¡¨¡¡¡¡The¡¡alluring¡¡thought¡¡nestled¡¡in¡¡his¡¡mind¡¡and¡¡was¡¡nurtured¡¡there£»¡¡and¡¡grew¡¡in¡¡a¡¡fixed¡¡belief£»¡¡which¡¡was¡¡given¡¡fuller¡¡expression¡¡in¡¡his¡¡Zoonomia¡¡and¡¡in¡¡the¡¡posthumous¡¡Temple¡¡of¡¡Nature¡£

Here¡¡is¡¡his¡¡rendering¡¡of¡¡the¡¡idea¡¡as¡¡versified¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Temple¡¡of¡¡Nature£º

¡¡¡¨Organic¡¡life¡¡beneath¡¡the¡¡shoreless¡¡waves¡¡¡¡¡¡Was¡¡born£»¡¡and¡¡nursed¡¡in¡¡Ocean's¡¡pearly¡¡caves£»¡¡¡¡¡¡First¡¡forms¡¡minute£»¡¡unseen¡¡by¡¡spheric¡¡glass£»¡¡¡¡¡¡Move¡¡on¡¡the¡¡mud£»¡¡or¡¡pierce¡¡the¡¡watery¡¡mass£»¡¡¡¡¡¡These£»¡¡as¡¡successive¡¡generations¡¡bloom£»¡¡¡¡¡¡New¡¡powers¡¡acquire¡¡and¡¡larger¡¡limbs¡¡assume£»¡¡¡¡¡¡Whence¡¡countless¡¡groups¡¡of¡¡vegetation¡¡spring£»¡¡¡¡¡¡And¡¡breathing¡¡realms¡¡of¡¡fin£»¡¡and¡¡feet£»¡¡and¡¡wing¡£

¡¡¡¨Thus¡¡the¡¡tall¡¡Oak£»¡¡the¡¡giant¡¡of¡¡the¡¡wood£»¡¡¡¡¡¡Which¡¡bears¡¡Britannia's¡¡thunders¡¡on¡¡the¡¡flood£»¡¡¡¡¡¡The¡¡Whale£»¡¡unmeasured¡¡monster¡¡of¡¡the¡¡main£»¡¡¡¡¡¡The¡¡lordly¡¡lion£»¡¡monarch¡¡of¡¡the¡¡plain£»¡¡¡¡¡¡The¡¡eagle£»¡¡soaring¡¡in¡¡the¡¡realms¡¡of¡¡air£»¡¡¡¡¡¡Whose¡¡eye£»¡¡undazzled£»¡¡drinks¡¡the¡¡solar¡¡glare£»¡¡¡¡¡¡Imperious¡¡man£»¡¡who¡¡rules¡¡the¡¡bestial¡¡crowd£»¡¡¡¡¡¡Of¡¡language£»¡¡reason£»¡¡and¡¡reflection¡¡proud£»¡¡¡¡¡¡With¡¡brow¡¡erect£»¡¡who¡¡scorns¡¡this¡¡earthy¡¡sod£»¡¡¡¡¡¡And¡¡styles¡¡himself¡¡the¡¡image¡¡of¡¡his¡¡God¡¡¡¡¡¡Arose¡¡from¡¡rudiments¡¡of¡¡form¡¡and¡¡sense£»¡¡¡¡¡¡An¡¡embryon¡¡point¡¡or¡¡microscopic¡¡ens£¡¡¨£§2£§


Here£»¡¡clearly¡¡enough£»¡¡is¡¡the¡¡idea¡¡of¡¡evolution¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡in¡¡that¡¡day¡¡there¡¡was¡¡little¡¡proof¡¡forthcoming¡¡of¡¡its¡¡validity¡¡that¡¡could¡¡satisfy¡¡any¡¡one¡¡but¡¡a¡¡poet£»¡¡and¡¡when¡¡Erasmus¡¡Darwin¡¡died£»¡¡in¡¡1802£»¡¡the¡¡idea¡¡of¡¡transmutation¡¡of¡¡species¡¡was¡¡still¡¡but¡¡an¡¡unsubstantiated¡¡dream¡£

It¡¡was¡¡a¡¡dream£»¡¡however£»¡¡which¡¡was¡¡not¡¡confined¡¡to¡¡Goethe¡¡and¡¡Darwin¡£¡¡Even¡¡earlier¡¡the¡¡idea¡¡had¡¡come¡¡more¡¡or¡¡less¡¡vaguely¡¡to¡¡another¡¡great¡¡dreamerand¡¡workerof¡¡Germany£»¡¡Immanuel¡¡Kant£»¡¡and¡¡to¡¡several¡¡great¡¡Frenchmen£»¡¡including¡¡De¡¡Maillet£»¡¡Maupertuis£»¡¡Robinet£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡famous¡¡naturalist¡¡Buffona¡¡man¡¡who¡¡had¡¡the¡¡imagination¡¡of¡¡a¡¡poet£»¡¡though¡¡his¡¡message¡¡was¡¡couched¡¡in¡¡most¡¡artistic¡¡prose¡£¡¡¡¡Not¡¡long¡¡after¡¡the¡¡middle¡¡of¡¡the¡¡eighteenth¡¡century¡¡Buffon¡¡had¡¡put¡¡forward¡¡the¡¡idea¡¡of¡¡transmutation¡¡of¡¡species£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡reiterated¡¡it¡¡from¡¡time¡¡to¡¡time¡¡from¡¡then¡¡on¡¡till¡¡his¡¡death¡¡in¡¡1788¡£¡¡But¡¡the¡¡time¡¡was¡¡not¡¡yet¡¡ripe¡¡for¡¡the¡¡idea¡¡of¡¡transmutation¡¡of¡¡species¡¡to¡¡burst¡¡its¡¡bonds¡£

And¡¡yet¡¡this¡¡idea£»¡¡in¡¡a¡¡modified¡¡or¡¡undeveloped¡¡form£»¡¡had¡¡taken¡¡strange¡¡hold¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡generation¡¡that¡¡was¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡scene¡¡at¡¡the¡¡close¡¡of¡¡the¡¡eighteenth¡¡century¡£¡¡Vast¡¡numbers¡¡of¡¡hitherto¡¡unknown¡¡species¡¡of¡¡animals¡¡had¡¡been¡¡recently¡¡discovered¡¡in¡¡previously¡¡unexplored¡¡regions¡¡of¡¡the¡¡globe£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡wise¡¡men¡¡were¡¡sorely¡¡puzzled¡¡to¡¡account¡¡for¡¡the¡¡disposal¡¡of¡¡all¡¡of¡¡these¡¡at¡¡the¡¡time¡¡of¡¡the¡¡deluge¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡simplified¡¡matters¡¡greatly¡¡to¡¡suppose¡¡that¡¡many¡¡existing¡¡species¡¡had¡¡been¡¡developed¡¡since¡¡the¡¡episode¡¡of¡¡the¡¡ark¡¡by¡¡modification¡¡of¡¡the¡¡original¡¡pairs¡£¡¡The¡¡remoter¡¡bearings¡¡of¡¡such¡¡a¡¡theory¡¡were¡¡overlooked¡¡for¡¡the¡¡time£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡idea¡¡that¡¡American¡¡animals¡¡and¡¡birds£»¡¡for¡¡example£»¡¡were¡¡modified¡¡descendants¡¡of¡¡Old¡­World¡¡formsthe¡¡jaguar¡¡of¡¡the¡¡leopard£»¡¡the¡¡puma¡¡of¡¡the¡¡lion£»¡¡and¡¡so¡¡onbecame¡¡a¡¡current¡¡belief¡¡with¡¡that¡¡class¡¡of¡¡humanity¡¡who¡¡accept¡¡almost¡¡any¡¡statement¡¡as¡¡true¡¡that¡¡harmonizes¡¡with¡¡their¡¡prejudices¡¡without¡¡realizing¡¡its¡¡implications¡£

Thus¡¡it¡¡is¡¡recorded¡¡with¡¡eclat¡¡that¡¡the¡¡discovery¡¡of¡¡the¡¡close¡¡proximity¡¡of¡¡America¡¡at¡¡the¡¡northwest¡¡with¡¡Asia¡¡removes¡¡all¡¡difficulties¡¡as¡¡to¡¡the¡¡origin¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Occidental¡¡faunas¡¡and¡¡floras£»¡¡since¡¡Oriental¡¡species¡¡might¡¡easily¡¡have¡¡found¡¡their¡¡way¡¡to¡¡America¡¡on¡¡the¡¡ice£»¡¡and¡¡have¡¡been¡¡modified¡¡as¡¡we¡¡find¡¡them¡¡by¡¡¡¨the¡¡well¡­known¡¡influence¡¡of¡¡climate¡£¡¨¡¡And¡¡the¡¡persons¡¡who¡¡gave¡¡expression¡¡to¡¡this¡¡idea¡¡never¡¡dreamed¡¡of¡¡its¡¡real¡¡significance¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡truth£»¡¡here¡¡was¡¡the¡¡doctrine¡¡of¡¡evolution¡¡in¡¡a¡¡nutshell£»¡¡and£»¡¡because¡¡its¡¡ultimate¡¡bearings¡¡were¡¡not¡¡clear£»¡¡it¡¡seemed¡¡the¡¡most¡¡natural¡¡of¡¡doctrines¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡most¡¡of¡¡the¡¡persons¡¡who¡¡advanced¡¡it¡¡would¡¡have¡¡turned¡¡from¡¡it¡¡aghast¡¡could¡¡they¡¡have¡¡realized¡¡its¡¡import¡£¡¡As¡¡it¡¡was£»¡¡however£»¡¡only¡¡here¡¡and¡¡there¡¡a¡¡man¡¡like¡¡Buffon¡¡reasoned¡¡far¡¡enough¡¡to¡¡inquire¡¡what¡¡might¡¡be¡¡the¡¡limits¡¡of¡¡such¡¡assumed¡¡transmutation£»¡¡and¡¡only¡¡here¡¡and¡¡there¡¡a¡¡Darwin¡¡or¡¡a¡¡Goethe¡¡reached¡¡the¡¡conviction¡¡that¡¡there¡¡are¡¡no¡¡limits¡£


LAMARCK¡¡VERSUS¡¡CUVIER

And¡¡even¡¡Goethe¡¡and¡¡Darwin¡¡had¡¡scarcely¡¡passed¡¡beyond¡¡that¡¡tentative¡¡stage¡¡of¡¡conviction¡¡in¡¡which¡¡they¡¡held¡¡the¡¡thought¡¡of¡¡transmutation¡¡of¡¡species¡¡as¡¡an¡¡ancillary¡¡belief¡¡not¡¡ready¡¡for¡¡full¡¡exposition¡£¡¡There¡¡was¡¡one¡¡of¡¡their¡¡contemporaries£»¡¡however£»¡¡who£»¡¡holding¡¡the¡¡same¡¡conception£»¡¡was¡¡moved¡¡to¡¡give¡¡it¡¡full¡¡explication¡£¡¡This¡¡was¡¡the¡¡friend¡¡and¡¡disciple¡¡of¡¡Buffon£»¡¡Jean¡¡Baptiste¡¡de¡¡Lamarck¡£¡¡¡¡Possessed¡¡of¡¡the¡¡spirit¡¡of¡¡a¡¡poet¡¡and¡¡philosopher£»¡¡this¡¡great¡¡Frenchman¡¡had¡¡also¡¡the¡¡widest¡¡range¡¡of¡¡technical¡¡knowledge£»¡¡covering¡¡the¡¡entire¡¡field¡¡of¡¡animate¡¡nature¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡first¡¡half¡¡of¡¡his¡¡long¡¡life¡¡was¡¡devoted¡¡chiefly¡¡to¡¡botany£»¡¡in¡¡which¡¡he¡¡attained¡¡high¡¡distinction¡£¡¡¡¡Then£»¡¡just¡¡at¡¡the¡¡beginning¡¡of¡¡the¡¡nineteenth¡¡century£»¡¡he¡¡turned¡¡to¡¡zoology£»¡¡in¡¡particular¡¡to¡¡the¡¡lower¡¡forms¡¡of¡¡animal¡¡life¡£¡¡Studying¡¡these¡¡lowly¡¡organisms£»¡¡existing¡¡and¡¡fossil£»¡¡he¡¡was¡¡more¡¡and¡¡more¡¡impressed¡¡with¡¡the¡¡gradations¡¡of¡¡form¡¡everywhere¡¡to¡¡be¡¡seen£»¡¡the¡¡linking¡¡of¡¡diverse¡¡families¡¡through¡¡intermediate¡¡ones£»¡¡and¡¡in¡¡particular¡¡with¡¡the¡¡pred

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