Abstract
Discusses a central theme in William H. Sewell, Jr.'s 'Logics of History:' the relationship between relatively durable structures or systems and the more fleeting and contingent moments of their formation, their reproduction, and occasionally their radical altering. The article seeks to highlight how this tension between generals and particulars lies at the heart of the theoretical and disciplinary divisions that Sewell's book seeks to overcome. Arguing that Sewell's partial reliance on a framework inspired by Ferdinand de Saussure is inadequate for the goals of the book, the article points out that an alternative approach derived from the writings of Charles Sanders Peirce is more in keeping with Sewell's objectives.