the rise and progress of palaeontology-第4部分

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would　have　had　to　invent　it。



I　have　always　had　a　certain　horror　of　presuming　to　set　a　limit

upon　the　possibilities　of　things。　Therefore　I　will　not　venture

to　say　that　it　is　impossible　that　the　multitudinous　species　of

animals　and　plants　may　have　been　produced；　one　separately

from　the　other；　by　spontaneous　generation；　nor　that　it　is

impossible　that　they　should　have　been　independently　originated

by　an　endless　succession　of　miraculous　creative　acts。　But　I　must

confess　that　both　these　hypotheses　strike　me　as　so　astoundingly

improbable；　so　devoid　of　a　shred　of　either　scientific　or

traditional　support；　that　even　if　there　were　no　other　evidence

than　that　of　palaeontology　in　its　favour；　I　should　feel

compelled　to　adopt　the　hypothesis　of　evolution。　Happily；　the

future　of　palaeontology　is　independent　of　all　hypothetical

considerations。　Fifty　years　hence；　whoever　undertakes　to　record

the　progress　of　palaeontology　will　note　the　present　time　as　the

epoch　in　which　the　law　of　succession　of　the　forms　of　the　higher

animals　was　determined　by　the　observation　of　palaeontological

facts。　He　will　point　out　that；　just　as　Steno　and　as　Cuvier　were

enabled　from　their　knowledge　of　the　empirical　laws　of　co…

existence　of　the　parts　of　animals　to　conclude　from　a　part　to　the

whole；　so　the　knowledge　of　the　law　of　succession　of　forms

empowered　their　successors　to　conclude；　from　one　or　two　terms　of

such　a　succession；　to　the　whole　series；　and　thus　to　divine　the

existence　of　forms　of　life；　of　which；　perhaps；　no　trace　remains；

at　epochs　of　inconceivable　remoteness　in　the　past。





FOOTNOTES



（1）　De　Solidoiintra　Solidum；　p。5〃Dato　corpore　certa

figura　praedito　et　juxta　leges　naturae　producto；　in　ipso　corpore

argumenta　invenire　locum　et　modum　productionis　detegentia。〃

（2）　〃Corpora　sibi　invicem　omnino　similia　simili　etiam　modo

producta　sunt。〃

（3）　Sir　J。　D。　Hooker。











End