176 GEORGE JOHN ROMANES 



word), but as movable types, which he can transpose 

 for the purpose of expressing different ideas with the 

 same words. 



He writes concerning a Junior Scientific Society 

 which had a meeting to discuss his theory : 



' The meeting was the best fun imaginable, the 

 paper was merely a statement of my theory by a 



young man who made it very clear. got up and 



expressed disapproval of the theory, but expressly 

 declined to argue, so I had merely to give him some 

 chaff. The young men highly enjoyed it. Afterwards 

 they were enthusiastic in their applause. 



4 1 have no doubt, if I had not been present, the class 

 would have had a very different impression both of me 

 and my theory.' 



To Professor Meldola. 



Geanies : September 16, 1886. 



Dear Professor Meldola, Physiological selection 

 seems to have brought a regular nest of hornets about 

 my head. If I had known there was to have been 

 so much talk about it at the British Association I 

 should have gone up to defend the new-born. If you 

 were there, can you let me know the main objections 

 that were urged? It seems to me there is a good 

 deal of misunderstanding abroad, due, no doubt, to 

 the insufficiency with which my theory has been 

 stated. In ' studying ' the paper, therefore, please 

 keep steadily in view that the backbone of the whole 

 consists in regarding mutual sterility as the cause (or 



