The Origin of Species 



structure independently of natural selection. 

 But as my conclusions have lately been much 

 misrepresented, and it has been stated that I 

 attribute the modification of species exclusively 

 to natural selection, I may be permitted to re- 

 mark that in the first edition of this work, and 

 subsequently, I placed in a most conspicuous 

 position — namely, at the close of the Introduc- 

 tion — the following words: "I am convinced 

 that natural selection has been the main but not 

 the exclusive means of modification. " This has 

 been of no avail. Great is the power of steady 

 misrepresentation; but the history of science 

 shows that fortunately this power does not long 

 endure. 



It can hardly be supposed that a false theory 

 would explain, in so satisfactory a manner as does 

 the theory of natural selection, the several large 

 .classes of facts above specified. It has recently 

 been objected that this is an unsafe method of 

 arguing; but it is a method used in judging the 

 common events of life, and has often been used 

 by the greatest natural philosophers. The un- 

 dulatory theory of light has thus been arrived at; 

 and the belief in the revolution of the earth on its 

 own axis was until lately supported by hardly any 

 direct evidence. It is no valid objection that 

 science as yet throws no light on the far higher 

 problems of th esseence of the origin of life. Who 

 can explain what is the essence of the attraction 

 of gravity ? No one now objects to following out 

 the results consequent on this unknown element 

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