THE EVOLUTION OF MAN 



cannot be said that he has made his point. But 

 his objections have at least demonstrated that 

 even the simplest facts are at present very hard 

 to present and explain. In another direction, 

 Hugo de Vries has attempted to show that the 

 formation of varieties, superior types and talents, 

 is far more extensive than Darwin ever sus- 

 pected, no matter what their cause may be. De 

 Vries thinks that there is a great periodical proc- 

 ess of formation which takes place side by side 

 with the simple and minute variations of the off- 

 spring of any species, and this greater process 

 develops an enormous number of new forms. 

 This struggle for existence then selects from 

 this large number those of less value for the time 

 being and eliminates them, and the surviving 

 species will appear as perfectly new ones. This 

 idea, the so-called "Mutation/ Theory/ has not 

 been sufficiently explained, although it is doubt- 

 less a very important suggestion. 



The opinions of the scientists are still divided 

 on such points as these, because there are evi- 

 dently still many logical and natural possibilities 

 which affect the obscure problem suggested by 

 Darwin. It is quite certain that the problems of 

 the means by which variations are brought about 

 are of the highest importance for the descent of 



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