196 HOLISM AND EVOLUTION chap. 



(a + by = (2^ + 2ab + b^. In other words, 25 per cent, 

 of the second generation will be pure c's and pure 6's 

 respectively, and 50 per cent, will represent individuals 

 witi mixed qualities, which on being again crossed with 

 each other will again produce pure a's and b^s and mixed 

 ab^s in the same algebraic proportions; and so on apparently 

 ad infinitum. His researches have been amply confirmed 

 by later inquiries, and they have also established that not 

 only do these unit characters behave as fixed and stable 

 entities, but, very much in the manner of radicle groups in 

 Chemistry, groups of such unit characters also sometimes 

 behave as stable combinations, and enter into combination 

 with other unit characters as persistent unities. This is all 

 very remarkable and interesting, and has important bearings 

 on the practical improvement of breeds and races of animals, 

 and on the beginnings of the new science of Eugenics. But 

 for our present purpose it is merely necessary for me to 

 point out that Mendelism or Genetics deals with the manip- 

 ulation of existing characters, and not with their origin, 

 genesis or creation. The main question before organic 

 Evolution, how specific characters are produced which have 

 not existed before, is not directly touched by Mendelism. 

 The problem of the creativeness of Evolution in the origin of 

 species, and in organic progress generally, lies beyond the 

 province of Mendelism. Mendelism deals with results al- 

 ready achieved by Evolution, and not with the creative 

 process by which they are achieved. No doubt it may and 

 in due course will incidentally throw important sidelights 

 on the mysterious creative process; but it will probably 

 be no more than sidelights. In other words, Mendelism is 

 not the real method or path of organic Evolution, but at 

 best only an important side-track. This is not intended 

 as a reflection on the science of Genetics, but only to place 

 it in a proper perspective in the whole field of organic 

 Evolution. 



Having ruled out Mendelism, can we accept De Vries's 

 Mutation as the ordinary method of creative Evolution? 

 Mutation takes place when specific or varietal characters 



