138 Journal of Travel and Natural History 



process has been is the point on which we differ from Mr 

 Wallace. He says it is " natural selection," and thoroughly con- 

 vinced, as he is, of the soundness of his theory, he shuts his eyes 

 to its imperfections and unwarranted assumptions, and with pardon- 

 able complacency demands that, " until at least an equally wide 

 range of facts can be shewn to be in harmony with any other 

 theory, he should not be expected to abandon that which has 

 already done such good service, and which has led us to the dis- 

 covery of so many interesting and unexpected harmonies among 

 the common (but hitherto most neglected and least understood) 

 of the phenomena presented by organised beings." 



This can only be meant as a fashion of speech. He cannot mean 

 that, until a better theory be produced, he will adhere to his pre- 

 sent faith, even if proved to be wrong, merely because it has done 

 good service. No one seeks to deny that it has done good service, 

 but it is neither its confirmation, as Mr Wallace thinks, nor its 

 refutation, as we regard it, but its ventilation which has done the 

 service. Thousands of exploded fallacies have in their time done 

 good service. Whatever tends to make men think and search after 

 truth does good service. To the theory which does so we own 

 our obligations, whether it prove true or false. But our gratitude 

 stops there. As soon as it is shewn to be wrong we give it up, 

 whether we have a better theory to put in its place or not ; and 

 so here we have no doubt Mr Wallace would do the same, could 

 we only convince him that he is wrong. T/iatwQ despair of doing. 

 We are afraid that he has too long and ardently laboured to build 

 up and strengthen the theory of natural selection to be able to see 

 any defect in it now, or rather to attach any importance to those 

 flaws which he cannot but see, but which appear to him as mere 

 motes in the sun. We may, however, be more fortunate with 

 others who have not yet such confirmed conviction upon the 

 matter ; and shall at any rate make the attempt. 



The present theory is the natural and legitimate sequence of the 

 Darwinian theory of natural selection carried out to its full extent, 

 and although not more startling than Mr Darwin's original position 

 in regard to design, gives better means of testing it as being 

 carried to a greater extreme. Natural selection — the belief in 

 constant, unceasing, slow, and gradual change — and, to a certain 

 extent, the influence attributed to the struggle for life, are the three 

 points of the Darwinian creed from which we dissent. These are 

 the points wliich are usually regarded as specially Mr Darwin's 



