182 THE GROWTH OF GROUPS 



insane. Fitness in this sense is implied, when one says 

 that the middle class has more fitness than the lower 

 class, and at the same time points to the latter as the 

 surviving class. 



3. As a word to express the fact of survival. From 

 this point of view fitness is survival and nothing more. 



The aim of this small book is to lessen the belief in 

 Natural Selection as a creative agency. At one time it 

 seemed that this belief was fast diminishing as a result o 

 biological research. But there is little doubt about its 

 vitality. It is still upheld by our leaders as a profound 

 truth. New books designed for public instruction con- 

 tinue to appear which imply that Natural Selection is a 

 creative agency and reiterate that no experienced natu- 

 ralist doubts its efficacy, that such doubt would at once 

 stamp the sceptic as inexperienced. These books are 

 misleading, and from a certain point of view harmful. 



I have no wish to urge the magnitude of my experience, 

 but I will mention one phase of it. In the year 1892 I 

 first heard of Natural Selection while attending the 

 lectures of the late Professor W. F. R. Weldon. It was 

 he who first pointed out to me that survival is the only 

 test of fitness. From this follows the idea that fitness or 

 adaptation is nothing more than a word to express the 

 fact of survival, so that the phrase " survival of the 

 fittest " becomes " the survival of the survivors " and 

 loses its value as a profound truth. Professor Weldon 

 continued his search after Natural Selection with a rare 

 enthusiasm until almost the day of his death. It was 

 evident to his pupils that he did not consider the theory 

 proved, for his whole energies were directed towards 



