I.] INTRODUCTORY. 33 



have from time to time been evolved from preceding ani- 

 mals and plants, it follows, if the views here advocated are 

 true, that this evolution has not taken place by the action 

 of " Natural Selection " alone, but through it (among other 

 influences) aided by the concurrent action of some other nat- 

 ural law or laws, at present undiscovered ; and probably 

 that the genesis of species takes place partly, perhaps 

 mainly, through laws which may be most conveniently 

 spoken of as special powers and tendencies existing in each 

 organism ; and partly through influences exerted on each 

 by surrounding conditions and agencies organic and inor- 

 ganic, terrestrial and cosmical, among which the " survival 

 of the fittest " plays a certain but subordinate part. 



The theory of " Natural Selection " may (though it need 

 not) be taken in such a way as to lead men to regard the 

 present organic world as formed, so to speak, accidentally, 

 beautiful and wonderful as is confessedly the hap-hazard 

 result. The same may perhaps be said with regard to the 

 system advocated by Mr. Herbert Spencer, who, however, 

 also relegates " Natural Selection " to a subordinate role. 

 The view here advocated, on the other hand, regards the 

 whole organic world as arising and going forward in one 

 harmonious development similar to that which displays it- 

 self in the growth and action of each separate individual 

 organism. It also regards each such separate organism as 

 the expression of powers and tendencies not to be accounted 

 for by " Natural Selection " alone, or even by that together 

 with merely the direct influence of surrounding conditions. 



The difficulties which appear to oppose themselves to 

 the reception of " Natural Selection " or " the survival of 

 the fittest," as the one explanation of the origin of spe- 

 cies, have no doubt been already considered by Mr. Dar- 

 win. Nevertheless, it may be worth while to enumerate 

 them, and to state the considerations which appear to give 

 them weight ; and there is no doubt but that a naturalist 



