Individual Accommodation on Development 95 



I. By secitring adjustments , accommodations, in special 

 circnmstances, the creature is kept alive. This is true in 

 all the spheres of modification distinguished in the table 

 above. The creatures which can stand the 'storm and 

 stress' of the physical influences of the environment, 

 and of the changes which occur in these influences by 

 undergoing modifications of their congenital functions or 

 of the structures zvhich are constitutional to them — these 

 creatures will live ; while those which cannot will not live. 

 In the sphere of neuro-genetic modification we find a 

 superb series of adjustments made by lower as well as 

 higher organisms during the course of their development 

 (see citations in Mental Development, Chap. IX. ; the work 

 of Davenport, Experimental Morphology, is devoted largely 

 to this subject). And in the highest sphere, that of in- 

 telligence (including the phenomena of consciousness of 

 all kinds, experience of pleasure and pain, imitation, etc.), 

 we find individual accommodations on the extended scale 

 which culminates in the skilful performances of human 

 volition, invention, etc. The progress of the child in all 

 the learning processes which lead him on to be a man 

 illustrates this higher form of personal accommodation. 



All these instances are associated in the higher organ- 

 isms, and all of them unite to keep the creature alive. 

 Passing on to consider an indirect effect of this, we find a 

 very striking consequence. 



2. By this means those congenital or phylogenetic varia- 

 tions are kept in existence which lend themselves to intelli- 

 gent, imitative, adaptive, or mechanical modification during 

 the lifetime of the creatures which have them. Other con- 

 genital variations are not thus kept in existence. So 

 there arises a more or less widespread series of modifica- 



