HEREDITY OF ACQUIRED CHARACTERS 189 



act in any such process. Indeed, the neighbouring plants 

 need not even touch or be near the individual to be selected. 

 There need be no struggle for existence at all. 



What really takes place is, I repeat, the continuance of the 

 direct or definite action of the environment ; which first induced 

 the modification to arise ; and brings about an increased re- 

 petition of the acquired character in the offspring. 



The garden parsnip, raised from seed of a wild plant, 

 described above, would grow bigger and bigger in every genera- 

 tion, if only one seed were planted so as to avoid selection 

 altogether. 



My Darwinian correspondent appears to fall into the 

 common error of attributing some influence to natural and 

 artificial selection. All that selection does is to record what 

 lives and tuhat dies. Hence, its province in Nature is confined 

 to the Distribution of animals and plants alone. 



It is for the present Darwinian to prove what influence it 

 can have, especially as Darwin distinctly describes it as being 

 only a metaphorical expression. 



Natural Selection, if we retain the phrase, of course, occurs 

 everywhere. It is a " natural law," but a natural law only means 

 "an observed order of facts ". 



Thus it is easily seen to be a universal feature in Nature 

 that wherever beings are crowded, many die and a lesser number 

 live, whether they be animals or plants. If a fever breaks 

 out in any district in London, some catch it and perhaps die, 

 others do not. 



The causes of death may be due to constitution, etc., but in 

 no case is it due to injurious varietal structural characters. 



That is all that is meant by Natural Selection. 



If it be maintained that Natural Selection implies more or 

 has any " strengthening " powers, it is for the Darwinian to 

 prove it. 



I will now proceed to give concrete examples in illustration 

 of the preceding remarks. There are two lines of " proof " open 

 to a scientist ; who, however, should, wherever it be possible, 



