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PREFACE. 



It is about a generation since the ideas of the selection of species 

 by natural causes took such form as to constitute a theory. Although 

 Chas. Darwin has received the credit of this theor} 7 , and no doubt 

 deserves it, yet the fact is, the theory was in the air as we may say 

 and was discovering itself to a great many people at the same time. 

 That is to say, the great body of accumulated natural facts that con- 

 stituted a part of the environment of all thinking and well-informed 

 people, impressed itself in a somewhat similar manner upon many at 

 once and was evolving in their brains similar reactions. A. R. Wallace 

 was almost as ready as Darwin to announce the theory and would have 

 done so had he not been anticipated. But if neither of these gentle- 

 men had been in the way of this idea it would soon have obtained 

 expression by someone else. So ready was the rationalistic world for it 

 that it was received with little or no hesitation; its simple announce- 

 ment and explanation being all that was required. 



The history of this theory is itself a good illustration of the Dy- 

 namic Theory. Things come about naturally and as a matter of course 

 when due forces become organized to operate on properly organized in- 

 struments. In this case the facts were the forces and men's brains the 

 instruments. 



The complete acceptance of this theory largely withdrew attention 

 from the essential facts and causes underlying selection. Some of 

 these facts incidentally presented themselves in the discussions and ex- 

 plications of the theory, but usually too little account was taken of them, 

 the attention being concentrated on the struggle for life between compet- 

 ing organisms. Unless it is qualified, this expression, "struggle for life, " 

 is itself misleading, as it seems to imply that the organism is an original 

 center of activity and does something of itself. 



It is my endeavor in this volume to point out that organisms instead 

 of being hand-made and purposive, are machine-built machines, and 

 operated, when built, by forces outside of themselves. As we are more 

 interested in ourselves than in other organisms, especial care has been 

 taken to ascertain the relationship of man to the other animals and to 

 point out their resemblances and contrasts. To this end I have cited a 

 large number of jacts that cannot fail to interest every intelligent per- 

 son whether he agrees with my conclusions or not. 



Especial attention is called to mental phenomena and the machinery 

 for their production. The brain is shown to be the organ of the environ- 



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