1859 — 1S63] harvey's criticisms 161 



the sole agency of modification, whereas I have over and Letter no 

 over again, ad nauseam, directly said, and by order of pre- 

 cedence implied (what seems to me obvious) that selection 

 can do nothing without previous variability (see pp. 80, 108, 

 127, 468, 469, etc.), " nothing can be effected unless favourable 

 variations occur." I consider Natural Selection as of such 

 hi«ii importance, because it accumulates successive variations 

 in any profitable direction, and thus adapts each new being 

 to its complex conditions of life. The term " selection," I see, 

 deceives many persons, though I see no more reason why 

 it should than elective affinity, as used by the old chemists. 

 If I had to rewrite my book, I would use "natural preserva- 

 tion" or "naturally preserved." I should think you would 

 as soon take an emetic as re-read any part of my book ; but 

 if you did, and were to erase selection and selected, and insert 

 preservation and preserved, possibly the subject would be 

 clearer. As you are not singular in misunderstanding my 

 book, I should long before this have concluded that my 

 brains were in a haze had I not found by published reviews, 

 and especially by correspondence, that Lyell, Hooker, Asa 

 Gray, H. C. Watson, Huxley, and Carpenter, and many 

 others, perfectly comprehend what I mean. The upshot of 

 your remarks at p. 1 1 is that my explanation, etc., and the 

 whole doctrine of Natural Selection, are mere empty words, 

 signifying the " order of nature." As the above-named clear- 

 headed men, who do comprehend my views, all go a certain 

 length with me, and certainly do not think it all moonshine, 

 I should venture to suggest a little further reflection on your 

 part. I do not mean by this to imply that the opinion of 

 these men is worth much as showing that I am right, but 

 merely as some evidence that I have clearer ideas than you 

 think, otherwise these same men must be even more muddle- 

 headed than I am ; for they have no temptation to deceive 

 themselves. In the forthcoming September 1 number of the 

 American Journal of Science there is an interesting and short 

 theological article (by Asa Gray), which gives incidentally 

 with admirable clearness the theory of Natural Selection, and 

 therefore might be worth your reading. I think that the 

 theological part would interest you. 



1 American Journal of Science and Arts, September, i860, "Design 

 versus Necessity," reprinted in Asa ("•ray's Darwiniana, 1876, p. 62. 



IT 



