INTRODUCTION 



MUTATION, MENDELISM, AND NATURAL 



SELECTION 



The essays in this volume do not deal with the 

 questions of Mutation and Mendelism which are so much 

 discussed at the present time. It did not come in my way 

 to examine them carefully until quite recently. When, 

 however, I did look into the English publications on these 

 subjects and the earlier work of Bateson on Variation, I 

 was almost startled at the narrowness and prejudice which 

 were continually apparent. Bateson's writings appear to 

 me to have introduced a new and most regrettable 

 element into scientific controversy. I cannot therefore 

 let this book go to press without the following pages. 

 The writings to which I have alluded are injurious to 

 Biological Science, and a hindrance in the attempt 

 to solve the problem of Evolution, for the following 

 reasons : — 



1. The amount of dogmatism concerning work with 



which the writer is evidently imperfectly ac- 

 quainted. 



2. The assumptions made by Mutationists on the 



slenderest evidence. 



3. The appropriation under the name of Mendel of 



results which the present generation owes to 

 Weismann. 



4. The exaggerated estimate of the importance for 



