FROM LAMARCK TO ST. HILAIRE 225 



his own; it is in a very striking passage in the 

 introduction of the second edition (1835) of his 

 Aniviaux sans Vertehrcs (pp. 2, 3), Lamarck's 

 latest work. He says: 



I set forth my general theory. It deserves close at- 

 tention ; and as far as possible, men should determine 

 how far I am well founded in all that I have written. 

 I have, in fact, advanced a general theory upon the 

 origin of life and upon its modes of manifestation, 

 upon tlie origin of the faculties, upon the variations 

 and phenomena of organization of different animals, 

 — a theory consistent in its principles and applicable 

 to all cases. It is the first, so it seems to me, which 

 has been presented, the only theory, therefore, which 

 exists^ because I do not know any work which offers 

 another theory based upon such a large number of 

 principles and considerations. This theory of mine 

 recognizes in Nature the power to produce some re- 

 sult, in fact, all the results we see. Is it well estab- 

 lished? Certainly, it seems to me so; and all my ob- 

 servations tend to confirm it. Otherwise I would not 

 publish it. It rests with those who do not accept it to 

 substitute another, with equally wide application, or 

 with a still wider application to the facts. But this 

 I hardly believe to be possible. 



From this statement it seems that we have sat- 

 isfactory evidence that Erasmus Darwin and 

 Lamarck independently evolved their views, and 

 this is further confirmed by a careful reading of 

 Lamarck's first exposition of his theory in his 



