CHAPTER VII. 



DARWINISM DEFENDED (CONTINUED) : PLATE'S 

 CONCILIATORY DEFENCE. 



THE foregoing consideration of the answers of the Dar- 

 winians to the objections urged against the effectiveness of 

 the selection theory as an explanation of evolution makes 

 no pretence of having included, or even referred to, all 

 the arguments offered by the defenders, and it is only fair 

 to note that by no means all Darwinians and neo-Darwin- 

 ians agree to making the concessions listed in the early 

 part of the chapter. Some refuse a certain one or 

 two of these concessions, some another or others, some 

 indeed will make no admissions at all. With these last we 

 are past arguing. The discussion assumes too much an "it 

 is, it isn't" character to be particularly illuminating or pro- 

 gressive. But because of those who concede in considerable 

 measure, and deny in some measure, the validity of those 

 chief objections to the species-forming capacity of natural 

 selection, the general character of the ground on which 

 this last stand for the old flag is being made should at least 

 be indicated. 



This half-surrendered but still not quite deserted position 



is perhaps most clearly to be seen through the smoke of 



Plate's con- battle by fixing one's eyes on the representative 



oVectionsto the fi & ure of Ludwi " Plate > a strong Darwinian, 

 selection, but one not blinded by prejudice or with ears 



wilfully closed to the calls of reason. In his recent elaborate 

 discussion l of Darwinism, so often already referred to and 

 quoted from in these present chapters, he groups under the 

 head of wesentliche Einwande (important objections) the 



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