234 COMTE TO BENJAMIN KIDD PART iv 



hidden away in a nucleus, if not behind the wall of a 

 special cell. In purely homogeneous living organisms, 

 if such existed, all parts must share and share alike in 

 the interactions between organism and environment. 



Weismann held that the protozoa and protophyta 

 were potentially immortal; also the germ plasm. All 

 these positions stand, or stood, up to the date of 1893. 



He held that sex originated in the course of evolu- 

 tion, and was absolutely due, whatever that might mean, 

 to natural selection. This he still maintained. 



A similar view had been broached by him as to 

 natural death ; he still maintained it. 



He had formulated a doctrine of " germ plasm." 

 This has been modified, refined, elaborated, re-christened, 

 and, in fact, transformed more than once, both before 

 and after 1893. But this and other technical changes 

 of great importance do not sensibly affect the "fairy 

 tale," nor the basis of Mr. Benjamin Kidd's social 

 gospel, preached by him in the name of Weismann. 

 We do not therefore dwell upon these changes. 



Next there is a group of three very important points, 

 which imply each other, and stand or fall together ; 

 that amphimixis is the only cause of variations ; that 

 environment is impotent to originate them, in view of 

 the "continuity" and "absolute stability" of the germ 

 plasm ; that every higher and highest organism is simply 

 a unicellular organism of an improved or rearranged 

 kind, with its appendages and necessary consequences. 

 The central point here is the stability of the germ plasm. 

 Weismann gives that up (1893). The second point of 

 our present group of three is therefore gone. In conse- 

 quence the first point must be at least modified, and it 

 turns out to be absolutely inverted. Amphimixis is 

 never to be the cause of variations ; they are to go 



