CHAPTER XI. THE NEW THEORY. A matrix necessary to reproduction. Evidence of Embryology. Extraordinary Generation. Male and Female elements in Creation. Miraculous Conception. Psychological preparation for Man. Multiple Creation of Organisms. It follows from the remarkable linking together of created things, and from the order of succession from lower to higher forms, as detailed in the preceding chapter, that there is a necessary connection between them- that the creation of the prior form is necessary to that which is to follow. All theories of the origin of species exclusive of the old and now generally discarded idea of "Special Creation," assume that they originated from causes which do not interfere with the ordinary process of generation or reproduction. It was that of Lamark, and of the author of "The Vertiges of Creation"—it is, as we have seen, that of Darwin. There is much of minor detail, but none go back of this process. The Duke of Argyl says: "If I am asked whether I believe that every separate species has been a separate creationnot born, but separately made-I must answer which has been common to all theories of development, and that is the idea that ordinary generation has somehow been producing from time to time extraordinary effects, and that a new species is in fact simply an unusual birth." (Reign of Law, pp. 214, 236.) We see that creation as it goes on under our observation is by the ordinary process. From this we are able to evolve, not merely the general, but the invariable rule, that every living organism, within historic times, has required a receptacle or matrix, for its conception, gradual development and final birth. Surely from what we thus see, we should be able to find a general law for the production of new species. If species are reproduced by this ordinary process, then it is fair to conclude that they must have originated not by an "unusual birth," but by an extraordinary generation, and herein, I apprehend, may be found the key to the whole mystery. I have stated that so far as all animal forms within the historic period are concerned, a receptacle or matrix has been used, and therefore found necessary in their creation. It may be added, that there is no fact known to science, or any reason by analogy, by which the inference is warranted, that any different mode has been adopted in the production of the ancestral types of the several species which have existed and still exist. It may indeed be stated as a general and invariable rule, that nothing can be created without a CHAPTER XI. THE NEW THEORY. ▲ matrix necessary to reproduction. Evidence of Embryology. Extraordinary Generation. Male and Female elements in Creation. Miraculous Conception. Psychological preparation for Man. Multiple Creation of Organisms. It follows from the remarkable linking together of created things, and from the order of succession from lower to higher forms, as detailed in the preceding chapter, that there is a necessary connection between them- that the creation of the prior form is necessary to that which is to follow. All theories of the origin of species exclusive of the old and now generally discarded idea of "Special Creation," assume that they originated from causes which do not interfere with the ordinary process of generation or reproduction. It was that of Lamark, and of the author of "The Vertiges of Creation"—it is, as we have seen, that of Darwin. There is much of minor detail, but none go back of this process. The Duke of Argyl says: "If I am asked whether I believe that every separate species has been a separate creationnot born, but separately made-I must answer which has been common to all theories of development, and that is the idea that ordinary generation has somehow been producing from time to time extraordinary effects, and that a new species is in fact simply an unusual birth." (Reign of Law, pp. 214, 236.) We see that creation as it goes on under our observation is by the ordinary process. From this we are able to evolve, not merely the general, but the invariable rule, that every living organism, within historic times, has required a receptacle or matrix, for its conception, gradual development and final birth. Surely from what we thus see, we should be able to find a general law for the production of new species. If species are reproduced by this ordinary process, then it is fair to conclude that they must have originated not by an "unusual birth," but by an extraordinary generation, and herein, I apprehend, may be found the key to the whole mystery. I have stated that so far as all animal forms within the historic period are concerned, a receptacle or matrix has been used, and therefore found necessary in their creation. It may be added, that there is no fact known to science, or any reason by analogy, by which the inference is warranted, that any different mode has been adopted in the production of the ancestral types of the several species which have existed and still exist. It may indeed be stated as a general and invariable rule, that nothing can be created without a Earth. The Earth is the universal matrix of the vegetable kingdom;-it was that of the lowest of the animal kingdom; and after the lowest forms of the animal kingdom were created, they furnished the matrices of those higher, and so on to the highest. No more striking proof of the order and laws of creation can be found than appears by certain known facts in Embryology. "All organisms, vegetable as well as animal, commence with a simple cell, of which it is impossible to tell in any case to what form it is destined to advance. A series of changes take place. First, of an animal embryo-we can distinguish whether it is destined for the radiate, molluscous, articulate, or vertebrate sub-kingdom. Take an embryo of the vertebrate sub-kingdom-we next trace it in the change which will determine whether it is to belong to the fish, reptile, bird or mammal class. Take an embryo of the mammal class the character of the particular order are next determined. Afterwards those of the family, genus, species, sex and individual are evolved in succession." (13-130.) "It is a truth of very wide, if not universal application, that every living creature commences its existence under a form different from, and simpler than, that which it eventually attains." (16-74.) Huxley, after tracing the embryology of the dog in connection with some other animals, says |