CREATION BY LAW. 287 



Duke of Argyll sets forth his idea of Creation as a 

 " Creation by birth," but maintains that each birth 

 of a new form from parents differing from itself, has 

 been produced by a special interference of the Creator, 

 in order to direct the process of development into 

 certain channels ; that each new species is in fact a 

 "special creation," although brought into existence 

 through the ordinary laws of reproduction. He main- 

 tains therefore, that the laws of multiplication and 

 variation cannot furnish the right kinds of materials 

 at the right times for natural selection to work on. 

 I believe, on the contrary, that it can be logically 

 proved from the six axiomatic laws before laid down, 

 that such materials would be furnished ; but I prefer 

 to show there are abundance of facts which demon- 

 strate that they are furnished. 



The experience of all cultivators of plants and 

 breeders of animals shows, that when a sufficient 

 number of individuals are examined, variations of 

 any required kind can always be met with. On 

 this depends the possibility of obtaining breeds, races, 

 and fixed varieties of animals and plants; and it is 

 found, that any one form of variation may be accu- 

 mulated by selection, without materially affecting the 

 other characters of the species ; each seems to vary 

 in the one required direction only. For example, in 

 turnips, radishes, potatoes, and carrots, the root or 

 tuber varies in size, colour, form, and flavour, while 

 the foliage and flowers seem to remain almost sta- 

 tionary ; in the cabbage and lettuce, on the contrary, 



