254 THE REIGN OF LAW. 



does it even approach to tracing these births to any 

 physical law whatever. It fails also to recognise, 

 even if it does not exclude, the relation which 

 the birth of new Species has to the mental pur- 

 pose of producing mere beauty and mere variety. 

 Nevertheless it may be true that ordinary gene- 

 ration has been the instrument employed ; but if 

 so, it must be employed under extraordinary con- 

 ditions, and directed to extraordinary results. 



It will be seen, then, that the principle of 

 Natural Selection has no bearing whatever on the 

 Origin of Species, but only on the preservation 

 and distribution of Species when they have 

 arisen. I have already pointed out that Mr Dar- 

 win does not always keep this distinction clearly 

 in view, because he speaks of Natural Selection 

 " producing" organs, or " adapting" them. It can- 

 not be too often repeated that Natural Selection 

 can produce nothing whatever, except the con- 

 servation or preservation of some variation other- 

 wise originated. The true Origin of Species does 

 not consist in the adjustments which help varieties 

 to live and to prevail, but in those previous adjust- 

 ments which cause those varieties to be born at 



