The Metaphysics of Darwinism. 77 



fixes at once upon a fundamental contrast between 

 the initial variations and the subsequent means 

 of their preservation. It regards the former as 

 infinitely more significant than the latter. For the 

 variations are the ultimate material out of which 

 species are built up ; and though the manner of 

 their consolidation is an important problem for 

 science, philosophy is interested only in the 

 what f and whence f of the variations themselves. 

 Or, otherwise expressed, every new species being 

 the sum of a series of variations, philosophy is 

 concerned with the units, science with the mode 

 of their addition. And this mode it is which 

 Darwin has unfolded in his theory of natural selec 

 tion, or survival of the fittest. There have been 

 objections to the theory, especially to the somewhat 

 startling assumption that the results of man s pur 

 posive selection in breeding could be attained 

 and that, too, on a much larger scale by the blind 

 and purposeless operations of nature ; but grant 

 ing all that the hypothesis requires of us, we are 

 still in presence of the fact that natural selection, 

 or survival of the fittest, can accomplish nothing 

 until it is supplied with material for &quot; selection,&quot; 

 until there has appeared upon the field an ante 

 cedent &quot; fittest &quot;a fittest organ, function, habit, 

 instinct, constitution, or entire organism. Natu- 



