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1859
1860
1861
1866
1869
1872

Compare with:
1859
1861
1866
1869
1872

extinct and very 1859 1860
other extinct and 1861 1866
extinct and 1869 1872

to each other, than are those of remote formations; 1859 1860 1861 1866
OMIT 1869 1872

each successive period in the world's 1859 1860 1861 1866
each successive period in the worlds 1869
the world at each successive period in its 1872

of nature; 1859 1860
of nature, 1861 1866 1869
and their structure has generally become more specialised; 1872

this 1859 1860 1872
their structure will generally have become more specialised; and this 1861 1866
their structure has generally become more specialised; and this 1869

that vague yet illdefined sentiment, felt by 1860
that vague yet ill-defined sentiment, felt by 1859
that ill-defined yet common sentiment, felt by 1861 1866
the common belief held by so 1869 1872

2 blocks not present in 1859 1860 1861 1866; present in 1869 1872
Extinct and ancient animals resemble to a certain extent the embryos of the more recent animals belonging to the same classes, and this wonderful fact receives a simple explanation according to our views. The succession of the same types of structure within the same areas during the later geological periods ceases to be mysterious, and is intelligible on the principle of inheritance.

it to be, 1859 1860 1861 1866
OMIT 1869 1872

produced by the laws 1859 1860 1861 1866
the products 1869 1872

still acting round us, and preserved by Natural Selection. 1859 1860 1861 1866
and the Survival of the Fittest. 1869 1872

widely divergent. Extinct forms are seldom directly intermediate between existing forms; but are intermediate only by a long and circuitous course through
other
many
extinct and very different forms. We can clearly see why the organic remains of closely consecutive formations are
more
more
closely
allied;
allied
to each other, than are those of remote formations; for
they
the
forms
forms
are
more
more
closely linked together by
generation.
generation:
we
we
can
can
clearly
clearly
see
see
why
why
the
the
remains
remains
of
of
an
an
intermediate
intermediate
formation
formation
are
are
intermediate
intermediate
in
in
character.
character.
The inhabitants of each successive period in the world's history
must have
have
beaten their predecessors in the race for life, and are, in so far, higher in the
scale,
scale
of nature; and this may account for that vague yet illdefined sentiment, felt by many palæontologists, that organisation on the whole has progressed. If it should hereafter be proved that ancient animals resemble to a certain extent the embryos of more recent animals of the same class, the fact will be intelligible. The succession of the same types of structure within the same areas during the later geological periods ceases to be mysterious, and is simply explained by inheritance.
If then the geological record be as imperfect as
many
I
believe,
believe
it to be, and it may at least be asserted that the record cannot be proved to be much more perfect, the main objections to the theory of natural selection are greatly diminished or disappear. On the other hand, all the chief laws of palæontology plainly proclaim, as it seems to me, that species have been produced by ordinary generation: old forms having been supplanted by new and improved forms of life, produced by the laws of
Variation
variation
still acting round us, and preserved by Natural Selection.