Hmm...

Well its been a very interesting week. I met this really awesome nice great guy, and found out he has a girlfriend. *insert pouty face here* But we have been talking for a while, and he gave me this riddle to figure out. Now the catch is that if I figure it out or show satisfactory work before I leave to go to school I get a book. Now this isn't just *any* book. This is a copy of Charles Darwin's Origin of the Species, printed in 1871. Let me repeat that, 1871. This book is 137 years old. Leather bound and everything. I may have drooled a little when he showed me. But he won't let me have it or read it until I leave for school, and work some more on the riddle. He said there are 5 parts, and I have the first so far:

all but one are in row
but not the four from days of old

My guess was its the elements, because they are in rows on the periodic table except hydrogen which is off by itself, and way back when humans thought there were just four; earth air fire water. But he said that wasn't it, but its close. Its definitely something to do with science, and he also said its more of an idea than a tangible object. Anybody have any other ideas? I get my next clue wednesday, so we will see if that shines any lights on things.