CHAP, xvin A "FAIRY TALE OF SCIENCE"? 219 



by it in its offspring transferred from it to its offspring 

 seems to correspond best to the proved nature of an 

 organism as a unity or system, in which all parts are in 

 reciprocal intercourse, and the whole determines all the 

 parts. One mark or outcome of this reciprocity will be 

 the alternation already spoken of, owl from egg, egg 

 from owl. 



Darwin represents this natural assumption ; but as 

 it occurs in him it is attended by some peculiarities 

 due to modern science. Science is bent on finding a 

 mechanical cause for every mechanical result, and on 

 eschewing mysticism. The effort is laudable, if it can 

 be carried through without injustice to the facts of 

 organic life. But it results in a singularly self-confident 

 materialism ; or so one is tempted to think. It analyses 

 the organism into a bundle of qualities, and postulates 

 a separate speck of matter or living vibration for each 

 quality distinguishable from the rest in human thought 

 and speech. 1 The description applies, among other 

 hypotheses, to Darwin's " provisional hypothesis of 

 pangenesis." According to Darwin's view, each part 

 of the adult and vigorous organism gives off extraordin- 

 arily minute "gemmules." These work their way to 

 the parts of sex, and pass on as " packets," one paternal 

 " packet " blending with one maternal " packet " in the 

 embryo, and gradually reconstituting a body, each 

 gemmule helping to build up an organ, or limb, or 

 tissue, like that from which it sprang. Facts, however, 

 insist on a serious qualification, the facts known as 

 atavism. Often, or always in some features, the child 

 resembles a grand-parent or remote ancestor more than 

 it resembles either parent. How is this to be explained ? 



1 This criticism is urged very tellingly by Mr. George Sandeman in 

 his Problems of Biology. 



