348 EVOLUTION [CHAP. V 



Letter 257 are the conditions of life, irrespectively of the variations being 

 in any way beneficial. 



The production of a species out of a chaos of varying 

 forms reminds me of Ncageli's conclusion, as deduced from the 

 study of Hieracium, that this is the common mode in which 

 species arise. But I still continue to doubt much on this 

 head, and cling to the belief expressed in the first edition of 

 the Origin, that protean or polymorphic species arc those 

 which are now varying in such a manner that the variations 

 are neither advantageous nor disadvantageous. I am glad to 

 hear of the Brunswick deposit, as I feel sure that the careful 

 study of such cases is highly important. I hope that the 

 Smithsonian Institution will publish your memoir. 



Letter 258 To A. De Candolle. 



Down, Jan. i8th [1873]. 



It was very good of you to give up so much of your time 

 to write to me your last interesting letter. The evidence 

 seems good about the tameness of the alpine butterflies, and 

 the fact seems to me very surprising, for each butterfly can 

 hardly have acquired its experience during its own short life. 

 Will you be so good as to thank M. Humbert for his note, 

 which I have been glad to read. I formerly received from a 

 man, not a naturalist, staying at Cannes a similar account, but 

 doubted about believing it. The case, however, does not 

 answer my query viz., whether butterflies are attracted by 

 bright colours, independently of the supposed presence of 

 nectar ? 



I must own that I have great difficulty in believing that 

 any temporary condition of the parents can affect the off- 

 spring. If it last long enough to affect the health or structure 

 of the parents, I can quite believe the offspring would be 

 modified. But how mysterious a subject is that of genera- 

 tion ! Although rny hypothesis of pangenesis has been 

 reviled on all sides, yet I must still look at generation under 

 this point of view ; and it makes me very averse to believe in 

 an emotion having any effect on the offspring. Allow me to 

 add one word about blushing and shyness : I intended only 

 to say the habit was primordially acquired by attention to the 

 face, and not that each shy man now attended to his personal 

 appearance. 



