18441858] J. C. PRICHARD 43 



of species. Thus he wrote : " With respect to books on this subject, I 

 do not know any systematical ones, except Lamarck's, which is veritable 

 rubbish ; but there are plenty, as Lyell, Pritcharcl, etc., on the view of 

 the immutability." By " Pritchard" is no doubt intended James Cowles 

 " Prichard," author of the Physical History of Mankind. * Prof. Poulton 

 has given in his paper, "A Remarkable Anticipation of Modern Views 

 on Evolution,' 52 an interesting study of Prichard's work. He shows 

 that Prichard was in advance of his day in his views on the non-trans- 

 mission of acquired characters. Prof. Poulton also tries to show that 

 Prichard was an evolutionist. He allows that Prichard wrote with 

 hesitation, and that in the later editions of his book his views became 

 weaker. But, even with these qualifications, we think that Poulton 

 has unintentionally exaggerated the degree to which Prichard believed 

 in evolution. 



One of Prichard's strongest sentences is quoted by Poulton (loc. cit., 

 p. 1 6) ; it occurs in the Physical History of Mankind, Ed. 2, Vol. II., 

 p. 570 : 



" Is it not probable that the varieties which spring up within the limits 

 of particular species are further adaptations of structure to the circum- 

 stances under which the tribe is destined to exist ? Varieties branch out 

 from the common form of a species, just as the forms of species deviate 

 from the common type of a genus. Why should the one class of 

 phenomena be without end or utility, a mere effect of contingency or 

 chance, more than the other ? " 



If this passage, and others similar to it, stood alone, we might agree 

 with Prof. Poulton ; but this is impossible when we find in Vol. I. of 

 the same edition, page 90, the following uncompromising statement of 

 immutability : 



" The meaning attached to the term species, in natural history, is 

 very simple and obvious. It includes only one circumstance namely, 

 an original distinctness and constant transmission of any character. 

 A race of animals, or plants, marked by any peculiarities of structure 

 which have always been constant and undeviating, constitutes a 

 species." 



1 James Cowles Prichard (1786 1848). He came on both sides from 

 Quaker families, but, according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, he ulti- 

 mately joined the Church of England. He was a M.D. of Edinburgh, and 

 by diploma of Oxford. He was for a year at Trinity College, Cambridge, 

 and afterwards at St. John's and New College, Oxford, but did not 

 graduate at either University. He practised medicine, and was Physician 

 to the Infirmary at Bristol. Three years before his death he was made 

 a Commissioner in Lunacy. He not only wrote much on Ethnology, 

 but also made sound contributions to the science of language and on 

 medical subjects. His treatise on insanity was remarkable for his 

 advanced views on " moral insanity." 



2 Science Progress^ Vol. I., April 1897, p. 278. 



