RESULT. 345 



bouleversement, this whole bouleversement of the universe 

 sits? Because Darwin has come to see no more than 

 that the colt is not quite like the sire, the filly not quite 

 like the dam is it for a moment to be supposed 

 (Christianity itself is a small matter!) that this ab- 

 solute bouleversement once for all is ? That Darwin's 

 observations on the effect of crossing pigeons has led to 

 " a revolution in the whole philosophy of Europe " that 

 is no more than an exiguous makeweight into the bargain ! 



But, was there ever anything in this world so puerile ? 



It is possible, however, that, if neither Mr. Huxley nor 

 Mr. Wallace fairly realised the exact reach of Mr. Darwin's 

 variation, but began, the one with a formed " variety," 

 and the other with already-made " variations from the 

 specific type " it is still possible that Mr. Darwin, even 

 in his slight and casual everyday difference, has the 

 advantage in a certain way over both. So, there is at 

 least consequence in Mr. Darwin's thinking. For it is 

 evident that, assume the formed variety, or assume the 

 specific variation, the question cannot be avoided, How 

 did they come ? what is the first of either ? Now, to 

 that, in accordance with Mr. Darwin's principle of 

 gradation, the answer can only be, Why, the very first 

 imperceptible accident, to be sure ! As it is with the tide 

 upon the beach, so is it with difference in the organism : 

 both escape notice till by accumulation they become 

 irresistible. 



There is, indeed, consequence in Mr. Darwin's thinking 

 so far ; but was there consequence in that whole vast 

 corollary that flight into the illimitable from the 

 simple " splitting up " of a stock of horses ? Or may we 

 not regard the action there as a break (for us, namely) into 

 the ground, through which to prove the mineral over the 

 whole field a test in application to the book itself ? " He 

 shows," says Mr. Francis Darwin (ii. 15)," how an analogous 



