THE EVOLUTION OF MAN 



number of individuals following by natural selec- 

 tion a line of development improving the arche- 

 type; and, furthermore, also a number of other 

 individuals varying according to special adapta- 

 tion. 



Once this assumption is granted, all the rest 

 is merely a mathematical problem, the mill of 

 evolution being forced to grind. But the ques- 

 tion of superior characters and individual varia- 

 tions contains many deeper problems, as Darwin 

 himself was well aware. What was it that de- 

 termined the number of superior individuals and 

 special adaptations, what was the determining 

 factor guaranteeing the presence of certain in- 

 dividual characters in every case? 



This point has been the object of incessant 

 discussion, and the end of it is not yet. We might 

 believe that the life methods of the parents them- 

 selves might, in a certain way, have a determin- 

 ing effect on the appearance of certain characters 

 among different people. For instance, if I am 

 a passionate ball player all my life, is it possible 

 that there may be at least one of my children 

 which would have inherited a talent for ball 

 playing? The explanation of the problem has 

 been attempted. It was declared that exercise 

 on the part of the parents would always serve 



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