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. Ought we, for instance (to give an illustration
of what I mean), to begin by discussing each separate species-man,
lion, ox, and the like-taking each kind in hand inde. pendently of the
rest, or ought we rather to deal first with the attributes which
they have in common in virtue of some common element of their
nature, and proceed from this as a basis for the consideration of them
separately? For genera that are quite distinct yet oftentimes
present many identical phenomena, sleep, for instance, respiration,
growth, decay, death, and other similar affections and conditions,
which may be passed over for the present, as we are not yet prepared
to treat of them with clearness and precision. Now it is plain that if
we deal with each species independently of the rest, we shall
frequently be obliged to repeat the same statements over and over
again; for horse and dog and man present, each and all, every one of
the phenomena just enumerated. A discussion therefore of the
attributes of each such species separately would necessarily involve
frequent repetitions as to characters, themselves identical but
recurring in animals specifically distinct. (Very possibly also
there may be other characters which, though they present specific
differences, yet come under one and the same category. For instance,
flying, swimming, walking, creeping, are plainly specifically
distinct, but yet are all forms of animal progression
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