I THE DARWINIAN HYPOTHESIS 17 



of divergence from the primitive stock is reached. 

 It is then found that by continuing the process of 

 selection always breeding, that is, from well- 

 marked forms, and allowing no impure crosses to 

 interfere a race may be formed, the tendency of 

 which to reproduce itself is exceedingly strong; 

 nor is the limit to the amount of divergence which 

 may be thus produced known ; but one thing is 

 certain, that, if certain breeds of dogs, or of pigeons, 

 or of horses, were known only in a fossil state, no 

 naturalist would hesitate in regarding them as 

 distinct species. 



But in all these cases we have human interfer- 

 ence. Without the breeder there would be no 

 selection, and without the selection no race. 

 Before admitting the possibility of natural species 

 having originated in any similar way, it must be 

 proved that there is in Nature some power which 

 takes the place of man, and performs a selection 

 sud sponte. It is the claim of Mr. Darwin that he 

 professes to have discovered the existence and the 

 modiis operandi of this " natural selection," as he 

 terms it ; and, if he be right, the process is per- 

 fectly simple and comprehensible, and irresistibly 

 deducible from very familiar but well nigh for- 

 gotten facts. 



Who, for instance, has duly reflected upon all 

 the consequences of the marvellous struggle for 

 existence which is daily and hourly going on 

 among living beings ? Not only does every animal 



