. The bird . cwnos, we should be constrained to acknowledgethat nature does nothing abruptly, in all things proceeds by gentleand insensible transitions. Wherever we seem to see in her works abound, a chasm, a sudden and inharmonious interval, let us ascribethe fault to ourselves ; that blank is our own ignorance. THE FIEST FLUTTEEINGS OF THE WING. 95 Let US pause for a few moments at tlie solemn passages wherelife uncertiiin seems still to oscillate, where Nature appears to rpiestionjierself, to examine her own volition. Shall I he tish or mammal ?says the creature. It falters, and remains a
. The bird . cwnos, we should be constrained to acknowledgethat nature does nothing abruptly, in all things proceeds by gentleand insensible transitions. Wherever we seem to see in her works abound, a chasm, a sudden and inharmonious interval, let us ascribethe fault to ourselves ; that blank is our own ignorance. THE FIEST FLUTTEEINGS OF THE WING. 95 Let US pause for a few moments at tlie solemn passages wherelife uncertiiin seems still to oscillate, where Nature appears to rpiestionjierself, to examine her own volition. Shall I he tish or mammal ?says the creature. It falters, and remains a fish, but warm-blooded ; belongs to the mild race of lamentins and seals. Shall Ibe bird or quadruped ? A great question; a perplexed hesitancy —a prolonged and changeful combat. All its various phases are dis-cussed ; the diverse solutions of the problems naively suggested andrealized bj^ fantastic beings like the ornithorhynchus, which hasnothing of the bird but the beak ; like the poor l)at, a tender and. innocent animal in its family-circle, but whose undefined form makesit giim-looking and unfortunate. You perceive that nature has 90 THE FIRST FLUTTERINGS OF THE WING. sought in it ilte luing, and found only a hideous membranous skin,which nevertheless performs a wings function : I am a bird ; see you my wings ? Yes; but even the wing does not make the bird. Place yourself towards the centre of the museum, and close tothe clock. There you perceive, on your left, the first rudimentof the wing in the pengniin of the southern pole, and its brother,tlie Arctic auk, one degree more developed ; scaly winglets, whoseglittering feathers rather recall the fish than the bird. On landthe creature is feeble; but while earth is difficult for it, air isimpossible. Do not complain too warmly. Its prescient mother
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