darwin's theory of pangenesis. 101 



every direction by forms differing from each other in 

 outline, position, and activity. This colored biologi- 

 cal chart (Plate III., Boston Monday Lectures on 

 Biology') is only too inadequate an illustration of the 

 complexity of the weaving performed by the bio- 

 plasts. 



We have as many different parts in one of these 

 tissues as there ever were in lace-work, and multi- 

 tudinously more. We know that. But Darwin says, 

 that, just as every part of a small and simple organ- 

 ism throws off a gemmule, so every part of a com- 

 plex organism throws off its gemmule. That is, we 

 have a gemmule from this corner [indicating on the 

 blackboard], a gemmule from this, a gemmule from 

 this, a gemmule from every one of these subdivided 

 lines : a gemmule, in short, from every cell of this 

 organism, — a complexity absolutely appalling to con- 

 template, for the number of gemmules must be 

 absolutely inconceivable. But, although they go 

 out into the circulating fluids of the organism, al- 

 though in the vegetable world they permeate all 

 the sap in your lily of the valley, they are never- 

 theless collected into the pollen of that flower. 

 Every grain of that dust consists of aggregates of 

 all these gemmules. Therefore, when a pollen-grain 

 is subjected to the proper environment, the gemmules 

 develop. They all have a number. There may be 

 billions and trillions of them, but no particle for- 

 gets its place. The dance of the gemmules is a 

 labyrinth, compared with which all the movements, 

 seen and unseen, of all the visible and invisible stars 



