198 UNIVERSAL EVOLUTION 



tenance in numbers of the domestic animals. In fact, 

 they incorporated them, flesh, milk and muscle into 

 their plan of life. No other family of mankind have 

 done this to a great extent, and the Aryans have done 

 it to a greater extent than the Semitic." (Morgan in 

 "Ancient Society.") 



The term "inherent" must be interpreted, not as 

 something given, but as an unknown cause. No evolu- 

 tion takes place independent of environment, for 

 always there is at least an assimilation of matter from 

 outside the structure. This is as true of the germ 

 plasm of the germ cell, as of the cells going only to the 

 formation of body tissue. This is the view of the 

 Neo-Lamarckian school. There is no evidence of a 

 "perfecting principle" in the germ cell, as claimed by 

 Nagaeli "prophetically determining descent with 

 modifications;" nor of a vital impetus. 



There are no "inherent" tendencies in matter to 

 assume consequent forms, or tropisms, or tendencies, 

 unless they are natural. A response to a stimulus, of 

 what is called an environment, or something beyond 

 the body of the thing acted upon, is probably the prin- 

 cipal cause. For example, there can be no change in 

 the anatomy, or physiology, of an organism, unless it is 

 a reaction to an external stimulus, such as the assimila- 

 tion of food, and the reaction in an organism, is always 

 different from stimulus in form. "Inherent" is fre- 

 quently used to signify "unknown." 



Therefore, variation is not produced by an inherent 

 tendency ; but probably by a change in the sustentation 

 of the substance of the germ cell through the 

 cytoplasm. The gro\vth energy changes the matter 

 absorbed, to something different, and sends it back to 

 the cytoplasm. These environmental influences include 



