and I believe in the conformity of
their resemblance with the individuals of the same species which
live to-day. Thus the animals which the Egyptians worshipped and
embalmed two or three thousand years ago are still in every respect
similar to those which actually live in that country.

"But it would be assuredly very singular that this should be
otherwise; for the position of Egypt and its climate are still or
very nearly the same as at former times. Therefore the animals which
live there have not been compelled to change their habits.

"There is, then, nothing in the observation which has just been
reported which should be contrary to the considerations which I
have expressed on this subject; and which especially proves that the
animals of which it treats have existed during the whole period of
nature. It only proves that they have existed for two or three
thousand years; and every one who is accustomed to reflect, and at
the same time to observe that which nature shows us of the monuments
of its antiquity, readily appreciates the value of a duration of two
or three thousand years in comparison with it.

"Hence, as I have elsewhere said, it is sure that this appearance of
the stability of things in nature will always be mistaken by the
average of mankind for the reality; because in general people only
judge of everything relatively to themselves.

"For the man who observes, and who in this respect only judges from
the changes which he himself perceives, the intervals of these
changes are _stationary conditions_ (_etats_) which should appear to
be limitless, because of the brevity of life of the individuals of
his species. Thus, as the records of his observations and the notes
of facts which he has consigned to his registers only extend and
mount up to several thousands of years (three to five thousand
years), which is an infinitely small period of time relatively to
those which have sufficed to bring about the great changes which the
surface of the globe has undergone, everything seems _stable_ to him
in the planet which he inhabits, and he is inclined to reject the
monuments heaped up around him or buried in the earth which he
treads under his feet, and which surrounds him on all sides.[174]

* * * * *

"It seems to me [as mistaken as] to expect some small creatures
which only live a year, which inhabit some c