234 NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 



to me that any serious objection can be raised against pan- 

 genesis when examined from a purely physical point of view, 

 as far as relates to the inheritance of a very complex variety 

 of characters by the first generation, though there would 

 have been many serious difficulties to contend with, if the 

 ultimate atoms of matter had been very much larger than is 

 indicated by the properties of gases. 



When we come to apply similar reasonings to the second 

 or following generations, we are compelled, along with 

 Darwin, to conclude that gemmules have the power of pro- 

 ducing other gemmules more or less closely resembling 

 themselves, and of being collected together in the sexual 

 elements, since otherwise the number that could be trans- 

 mitted in a dormant state for several generations would be 

 far too small to meet the requirements of the case. 



Conclusion. 



In my remarks I have made no endeavour to conceal our 

 present ignorance of many very important questions con- 

 nected with my subject. Want of the requisite data neces- 

 sarily imparts a speculative character to many of my conclu- 

 sions ; but perhaps there is no more fruitful source of know- 

 ledge than to see and feel how little is accurately known, 

 and how much remains to be learned. 



