260 APPENDIX D 



the same volume Darwin and Modern Science 

 (Cambridge, 1909). The following passage on 

 pp. 83 and 84 is written by de Vries : 



' Thus we see that the theory of the origin of species by 

 means of natural selection is quite independent of the 

 question, how the variations to be selected arise. They 

 may arise slowly, from simple fluctuations, or suddenly, by 

 mutations ; in both cases natural selection ivill take hold of 

 them, will multiply tJiem if they are beneficial, and in the course 

 of time accumulate them, so as to produce that great diversity 

 of organic life, which we so highly admire.' 



On p. 95, only eleven pages further on, we 

 find the following statement made by Professor 

 Bateson, a statement which entirely contradicts 

 the words I have italicized in the quotation from 

 de Vries : 



' First we must, as de Vries has shown, distinguish real, 

 genetic, variation from fluctuational variations, due to en- 

 vironmental and other accidents, which cannot be trans- 

 mitted.' 



I freely grant that de Vries's statement, taken 

 as a whole, does not appear to be very consistent 

 with much that he has written. 1 He is stating 

 alternative views as to the origin of selected 

 variations, but the italicized words could never 

 have been written by one who did not maintain 

 the hereditary transmission of fluctuations ; and 

 this belief is, as will be shown below, implied in 

 many another passage, to be found with sufficient 

 labour in de Vries's voluminous and somewhat 

 obscurely written treatises. 



1 See also Quarterly Review (July, 1909), 30. 



