60 A GREAT CONFESSION CHAP. 



Darwin saw this clearly of such 

 methods of explanation. But he did 

 not see that precisely the same objection 

 lies against his own. The great group 

 of ideas metaphorically involved in his 

 phrase of natural selection, and not suc- 

 cessfully eliminated in the summary of 

 it survival of the fittest is a group of 

 the widest generality. It may be used 

 to account for anything. The successful 

 application of it to any organic adapt- 

 ation, however special and peculiar, is so 

 easy as to become a mere trick. We 

 have only to assume the introduction of 

 some primordial organisms one or more 

 already formed with all the special 

 powers and functions of organic life ; we 

 have only to assume the inscrutable 

 action of heredity ; we have only to 

 assume, further, that it originates differ- 

 ence as well as transmits likeness ; we 

 have only to assume, still further, that 



