P30 GEOBGE JOHN BOMANES mi- 



thetical germ-plasm is the weakest part in my esti- 

 mation. 



Now, the point I am working up to is this. If there 

 be no difference between Panmixia and Cessation of 

 Selection, from what I have briefly sketched about it, 

 it follows that, had Darwin lived till now, he would 

 almost certainly have been opposed to Weismann. 

 This is not a thing I should like to say in public, but 

 one that I should like to feel practically assured about 

 in my own mind. 



Regarding the numerical calculations, I have not 

 got a copy of the ' Nature ' paper here, but, so far as I 

 remember (and I think I am right), the idea was that 

 ' Economy of Growth ' would go on assisting Cessa- 

 tion of Selection till the degenerating organ became 

 ' rudimentary.' In other words, reversal of selection 

 would co-operate with cessation of it. 



This, as I understand it, is now exactly Weismann's 

 view; only he thinks that thus the rudimentary organ 

 would finally become extinguished. Here, however, 

 it seems to me evident he must be wrong. The 

 reasons are obvious, as I am going to show this week 

 to my Edinburgh class. Six lectures are to be devoted 

 entirely to Weismann, and when they are published 

 (as they will be this time next year), I think it will be 

 seen that Weismannism is not such very plain sailing 

 as Weismann himself seems to think. Vines has anti- 

 cipated some of my points in his paper in ' Nature ' ; 

 but I hope this may have the effect of letting me see 

 what answers can be given before I shall have to 

 publish. Yours very truly, 



Cr. J. ROMANES. 



