416 ROSICRUCIANCOSMO-CONCEPTION
process, commensurate with its magnitude, lasting from the
existence on Globe C in the third Revolution of the Moon
Period, until the latter part of the Atlantean Epoch.
During that time the evolving life passed through four
great stages of animal-like development before reaching the
human stage. These steps of the past correspond to four
stagesyet to be passed through, and to thefour initiations.
Within these four stages of consciousness previously
passed there are altogether thirteen steps, and from man's
pres ent state t o the last of the Great Initiations t her e are als o
thirteen initiations—the nine degrees of the lesser mysteries
and the four Great Initiations.
There is a similar division among our present animals
which can be traced through Form, because, as the form is
the expression of life, so each step in its development must
necessarily show a step forward in consciousness.
Cuvier was the first to divide the animal kingdom into
four primary classes, but was not so successful in his
division of these classes into sub-classes. The embryologist,
Karl Ernst von Baer, also Professor Agassiz and other
scientists, classify the animal kingdom into four primary and
thirteen subdivisions, as follows:
I RADIATES:
1—-Polyps, Sea-anemones and Coral.
2—Acalephs, or Jelly-fish.
3—Starfish, Sea-urchins.
II MOLLUSKS:
4—Acephala (oysters, etc.).
5—Gasteropoda (snails).
6—Cephalopoda.
III ARTICULATES:
7—Worms.
8—Crustacea (lobsters, etc.).
9—Insects.
IV VERTEBRATES:
10—Fishes.