HISTORICAL SKETCH U 



not until 1828 that he published his conviction that the same 

 forms have not been perpetuated since the origin of all 

 things. Geoffroy seems to have relied chiefly on the condi- 

 tion of life, or the "monde ambiant" as the cause of change. 

 He was cautious in drawing conclusions, and did not believe 

 that existing species are now undergoing modification; and, 

 as his son adds, "C'est done un probleme a reserver 

 entierement a I'avenir, suppose meme que I'avenir doive avoir 

 prise sur lui." 



In 1813, Dr. W. C. Wells read before the Royal Society 

 'An Account of a White female, part of whose skin re- 

 sembles that of a Negro' ; but his paper was not published 

 until his famous * Two Essays upon Dew and Single Vision' 

 appeared in 1818. In this paper he distinctly recognises the 

 principle of natural selection, and this is the first recognition 

 which has been indicated ; but he applies it only to the races of 

 man, and to certain characters alone. After remarking that 

 negroes and mulattoes enjoy an immunity from certain trop- 

 ical diseases, he observes, firstly, that all animals tend to vary 

 in some degree, and, secondly, that agriculturists improve 

 their domesticated animals by selection ; and then, he adds, 

 but what is done in this latter case ''by art, seems to be done 

 with equal efficacy, though more slowly, by nature, in the 

 formation of varieties of mankind, fitted for the country 

 which they inhabit. Of the accidental varieties of man, 

 which would occur among the first few and scattered inhab- 

 itants of the middle regions of Africa, some one would be 

 better fitted than the others to bear the diseases of the coun- 

 try. This race would consequently multiply, while the others 

 would decrease; not only from their inability to sustain the 

 attacks of disease, but from their incapacity of contending 

 with their more vigorous neighbours. The colour of this 

 vigorous race I take for granted, from what has been already 

 said, would be dark. But the same disposition to form varie- 

 ties still existing, a darker and a darker race would in the 

 course of time occur : and as the darkest would be the best 

 fitted for the climate, this would at length become the most 

 prevalent, if not the only race, in the particular country in 

 which it had originated." He then extends these same views 

 to the white inhabitants of colder climates. I am indebted 



