208 A Defence of Mendel's Principles of Heredity 



the " synthesised " variety it is not impossible that these 

 components would again reappear. If this can be shown 

 to be possible we shall have entirely new light on the nature 

 of variation and stability. 



CONCLUSION. 



I trust what I have written has convinced the reader that 

 we are, as was said in opening, at last beginning to move. 

 Professor Weldon declares he has " no wish to belittle the 

 importance of Mendel's achievement " ; he desires " simply 

 to call attention to a series of facts which seem to him to 

 suggest fruitful lines of inquiry." In this purpose I venture 

 to assist him, for I am disposed to think that unaided he 

 is to borrow Horace Walpole's phrase about as likely to 

 light a fire with a wet dish-clout as to kindle interest in 

 Mendel's discoveries by his tempered appreciation. If I 

 have helped a little in this cause my time has not been 

 wasted. 



In these pages I have only touched the edge of that new 

 country which is stretching out before us, whence in ten 

 years' time we shall look back on the present days of our 

 captivity. Soon every science that deals with animals and 

 plants will be teeming with discovery, made possible by 

 Mendel's work. The breeder, whether of plants or of 

 animals, no longer trudging in the old paths of tradition, 

 will be second only to the chemist in resource and in 

 foresight. Each conception of life in which heredity bears 

 a part and which of them is exempt? must change before 

 the coming rush of facts. 



