Essays, Scientific, Political, and Speculative, Volume 1D. Appleton, 1891 |
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Common terms and phrases
action aggregation analogy angular velocities animals arise assume become belief body cause centre changes characters complex compound conception consciousness consequent contrast creatures currents Darwin degree Devonian differentiation direct doctrine Earth effects emotions evidence evolution exist fact factor Fauna feelings force formation forms fossils functions further genesis geological gravity greater groups habit heat Hence heterogeneous higher homogeneous human Hydrozoa ideas Illustrations implies increasing individual inferred inheritance John Herschel kind less mammals manifest mass matter medium mental Metazoa modifications mollusks motion natural selection Nebular Hypothesis nebulous observed orbits organic Origin of Species original outer phenomena photosphere planetoids plants present produced progress Protozoa races reason relation remote respect ring rotation satellites Silurian similarly social society Solar Solar System species specific gravity spheroid strata stratum structure supposed surface temperature things tion traits tribe truth unlike variations velocity vertebrata
Popular passages
Page 408 - I mean by this expression that the whole organisation is so tied together during its growth and development, that when slight variations in any one part occur, and are accumulated through natural selection, other parts become modified.
Page 314 - ... they had a name, but they had no equivalent for the expression, ' a tree ; ' neither could they express abstract qualities, such as hard, soft, warm, cold, long, short, round, etc.; for 'hard,' they would say ' like a stone,' for ' tall,' they would say ' long legs,' etc., and for k round,
Page 5 - a. seed immeasurably in every respect — in bulk, in structure, in colour, in form, in specific gravity, in chemical composition : differs so greatly that no visible resemblance of any kind , can be pointed out between them. Yet is the one changed in the course of a few years into the other : changed so gradually, that at no moment can it be said — Now the seed ceases to be, and the tree exists.
Page 113 - When to the fact that the general mass of nebulaa are antithetical in position to the general mass of stars, we add the fact that local regions of nebulae are regions where stars are scarce, and the further fact that single nebulae are habitually found in comparatively starless spots; does not the proof of a physical connexion become overwhelming?
Page 427 - I mean by Nature, only the aggregate action and product of many natural laws, and by laws the sequence of events as ascertained by us.