DARWIN'S ACCOUNT OF SPECIES: i859 47 



relief. The endless disputes whether or not some fifty 

 species of British brambles are true species will cease. 

 Systematists will have only to decide (iiot that this will be 

 easy) whether any form be sufficiently constant and dis- 

 tinct from other forms, to be capable of definition ; and 

 if definable, whether tJie differences be sufficiently important 

 to deserve a specific name. This latter point will become 

 a far more essential consideration than it is at present ; 

 for differences, however slight, between any two forms, 

 if not blended by intermediate gradations, are looked 

 at by most naturalists as sufficient to raise both forms to 

 the rank of species. Hereafter we shall be compelled 

 to acknowledge that the only distinction between species and 

 well-marked varieties is, that the latter are known, or 

 believed, to be connected at the present day by intermediate 

 gradations, whereas species were formerly tJucs connected. 

 Hence, without quite rejecting the consideration of the 

 present existence of intermediate gradations between 

 any two forms, we shall be led to weigh more carefully 

 and to value higher the actual amount of difference 

 between them. It is quite possible that forms now 

 generally acknowledged to be merely varieties may here- 

 after be thought worthy of specific names, as with the 

 primrose and cowslip ; and in this case scientific and 

 common language will come into accordance. In short, 

 we shall have to treat species in the same manner as 

 those naturalists treat genera, who admit that genera are 

 merely artificial combinations made for convenience. 

 This may not be a cheering prospect; but we shall at 

 least be freed from the vain search for the undiscovered 

 and undiscoverable essence of the term species.' I have 

 quoted from pages 484, 485 of the original edition (1859), 

 and have italicized the sentences in which Darwin defines 

 a species and distinguishes it from a variety. 



Max MuUer's special criticism falls to the ground, but 

 his general exhortation remains, and I think we shall do 

 well to be guided by it, and attempt to apply it to this 

 difficult and elusive word species. 



The passage I have quoted was Darwin's prediction of 

 the meaning which would be attached to the word ' species ' 



