194 COMTE TO BENJAMIN KIDD PART in 



the competition is keener, natural selection will do more 

 and more to accelerate the process in a positive sense. 

 As between the fuller and the less full instances of use- 

 inheritance the greater and less reproduction of 

 serviceable " acquired qualities " natural selection will 

 (cceteris paribus) steadily award the prize to those 

 specimens which most fully represent the working of 

 use -inheritance (Natural Selection C in the proper 

 sense). 



Another question might be asked here. Can we 

 have Natural Selection A and Natural Selection C as 

 distinct co-operating agencies ? Can natural selection 

 in Darwin's favourite sense work as a part of the 

 evolving forces in addition to its effect in the way of 

 accelerating some other force? Surely this can only 

 be the case if in part of the field it is the only force ; 

 i.e. if certain qualities are exempt from the operation 

 of the more powerful co-operating evolutionary force. 

 Even if you can imagine non- serviceable variations 

 being presented along with others, the fruit of a dis- 

 tinct evolutionary force, which are serviceable from the 

 very outset, it is almost incredible that Natural Selection 

 A should winnow the non-serviceable variations so as 

 to secure an advantageous remainder of any appreci- 

 able size. Any other evolutionary force which co- 

 operates with natural selection must eclipse it as a 

 rival, though it may welcome it as an ally. We 

 cannot add the working of natural selection to 

 the working (in the same field) of any directly 

 telic force. But natural selection may multiply the 

 results of the other force if competition is keen 

 enough. 



Let us try to go one step further still. As long 

 as struggle lasts natural struggle struggle plus 



