208 THE MENDEL JOURNAL 



of some of the biometrical methods and conclusions, in relation 

 to variation, evolution and inheritance. A chapter is devoted 

 to the later aspects of the theory of Mutations and an account of 

 de Vries' experiments wdth evening primroses and with ever- 

 sporting varieties is given. There is also an interesting chapter 

 on the work of the older hybridists, Kolreuter, Knight, Herbert, 

 Gaertner, Naudin and Millardet. These are names that Darwin's 

 " Origin of Species " made familiar to the reading public. The 

 latter part of Mr. Lock's book deals with Mendelism, to which 

 two chapters are devoted, and to the bearing of modern cytology 

 upon Mendelian problems, which occupies a third chapter. 



The last part of the book considers the application of the 

 conclusions derived from biological investigations, to human 

 society. And, in this part the author gives an account of the 

 origin and meaning of the term " Eugenics." In the chapter 

 under the title of this term, Mr. Lock has done good ser^'ice in 

 bringing before a wider audience Sir Francis Galton's work on 

 " Human Twins." This work was originally published in the 

 Journal of the Anthropological Institute in 1875, under the title 

 of " The History of Twins, as a Criterion of the Relative Powers 

 of Nature and Nurture." It has unfortunately been completely 

 ignored in all discussions upon social problems where it should 

 have formed their base. It is difficult to believe that the L^topian 

 ideas, reforms, panaceas, social transformation scenes, or what 

 other name they may be known by, could have been seriously 

 preached in the columns of the medical press, in newspapers, in 

 pamphlets, before Royal Commissions, and before Parliament, 

 had Sir Francis Galton's " History of Twins " been known to 

 the promulgators and its full significance grasped. Mr. Lock has 

 rendered a service of the greatest value in thus calling attention 

 to the existence of what we believe should be regarded as among 

 some of the most important facts relating to human life. Sir 

 Francis Galton himself propounded the question whether in 

 view of the facts revealed by this history of twins, we can believe 

 that nurture plays any part at all in the determination of the 

 qualities and conduct of men. For it is but too true that " The 

 steady and pitiless march of the hidden weaknesses in our consti- 

 tutions, through illness to death, is painfully revealed by these 

 histories of twins." And, as Mr. Lock points out, " From this 

 evidence (the history of twins) it seems right to conclude that the 

 hereditary nature of a man is more important than his training 

 and circumstances in determining liis adult mental and physical 

 equipment. You may educate generation after generation, and 

 yet the starting-point from which each individual has to begin his 

 struggle upwards may remain the same." 



