ORGANIC E I VL UTION. 



matter of observable fact that all plants and 

 animals are perpetually engaged in what Mr. 

 Darwin calls a "struggle for existence." That 

 is to say, in every generation of every species 

 a great many more individuals are born than can 

 possibly survive ; so that there is in consequence 

 a perpetual battle for life going on among all 

 the constituent individuals of any given genera- 

 tion. Now, in this struggle for existence, which 

 individuals will be victorious and live ? As- 

 suredly those which are best fitted to live : the 

 weakest and the least fitted to live will succumb 

 and die, while the strongest and the best fitted 

 to live will be triumphant and survive. Now it 

 is this " survival of the fittest " that Mr. Darwin 

 calls " natural selection." Nature, so to speak. 

 selects the best individuals out of each genera- 

 tion to live. And not only so, but as these 

 favoured individuals transmit their favourable 

 qualities to their offspring, according to the fixed 



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