34 



You may say, on this, that I hold permanency to be an attribute 

 of species, and not of variety ; and you may ask me, why, if they 

 are essentially the same, they trouble themselves so much to 

 make a change, and that for no object ? That is for them to 

 say, not tor me. 



I believe that varieties " become ultimately converted into 

 good and permanent species," which " differ from each other far 

 more than do the varieties of the same species." You may ask 

 me what I mean by the term species, but as I do not know I 

 cannot tell you. Don't talk, I say, in that sort of way. All I 

 can assert is, that to discuss the question before a definition of the 

 terms has been asked is "vainly to beat the air." This I apply 

 to you, but I cannot for a moment allow it to apply to myself. 

 Such a thing must not be thought of. 



I believe that it would be a " vain search " to seek for the 

 " essence of the term species." Nevertheless, I elsewhere state 

 that " good and distinct species " unquestionably occur. All the 

 better. 



I believe that Mr. Gould is utterly wrong where he says that, 

 " the gorgeous colouring of the humming birds has been given 

 for the mere purpose of ornament," " in other words, that 

 ornament and beauty, merely as such, was the end proposed." 



That is 4t absolutely fatal " to my theory, consequently I 

 cannot for a moment admit it. I believe the same of sweet sounds 

 or sweet scents, they come of and for no purpose whatever. 



I believe that species are " permanent varieties, and that this 

 is a characteristic of species," that they always remain the same, 

 which it is the object of the whole of my book to disprove. But 

 let that pass. 



I believe that "one hand has only worked through the 

 universe," but I labour in all my works to disprove it. " One is 

 apt to wonder why a distinct species should have been created," 

 but " we see whole series of animals which have been created." 

 Nevertheless, I utterly disbelieve in Creation. 



I believe that I am right in my view, in opposition to John 

 Hunter who held that no proof has ever been obtained that a 

 hybrid race can continue ; in opposition to De Candolle, who 



