~) 
92 
: 
Price. ] 
while that which he destroys, because hurtful, is most likely to perish ; 
and this is natural selection, and to a limited extent, it is obvious to all. 
The sexual selection is that which the male or female makes when mating. 
The latter influence can have no place in the vegetable kingdom, for in 
it there is no will to exert selection ; and there is very little of it, indeed, 
below man in the animal kingdom ; for what female is there in it, unre- 
strained by man that finds not her sufficing mate, be she beautiful or 
plain? Nature is not checked in her purpose of multiplication, when 
free, for want of masculine co-operation, for it superabounds. The seeds 
of life are always superabundant. All the fanciful writing upon this 
subject, the motives for the mating of birds and quadrupeds, by the 
attractions of symmetry and beauty of plumage or color, seem quite unim- 
portant : where all mate sexual selection effects nothing. The real check 
to increase comes from want of food, severity of climate, disease, and 
enemies, which spare not symmetry or beauty, and not from any failure 
to be selected. 
Nothing is more certain, however, than that as far as man exercises 
a dominion, by the culture of plants and breeding of animals, he does 
greatly increase some in numbers and quality, and he diminishes others. 
Fle practices great partially. The flowers and fruits, and vegetables and 
grains that best please and nourish him, he will most cultivate, and 
destroy all things that most obstruct their growth. The birds, fowls and 
animals that are most useful and please him best, he also breeds and 
greatly multiplies, and he destroys their enemies. The cattle on a thous- 
and hills are justly for its use, because they are bred and fed by himself 
to do his labor and be his food ; and his care and skill make it sure that 
they shall be the best fitted for his purposes. And this is also called 
natural selection ; although it is the result of man’s skill exerted upon 
nature and the laws that govern nature. Its effect is great, but is not 
unlimited, and is subject to reversal when man ceases to exert his care 
and skill. 
There is truly a law of nature in propagation, that each species, and’ 
each pair of individuals shall produce a progeny like themselves. Man 
selects the parental pairs of the qualities he desires, and his hopes are 
seldom disappointed. He repeats the process until he arrives at the 
highest perfection in view that is attainable ; hence our fleet race horses, 
our strong draught horses ; and also our finest breeds of cattle and sheep, 
selected with a view to their qualities for milking, clip of wool, or beef, 
or mutton. Thus the wild animals are inestimately improved! And so 
with these and other purposes, and the large indulgence of a capricious 
fancy, have pigeons, poultry and dogs been improved, or greatly changed 
in their varieties, until it is made a question whether such variations have 
not been carried to the length of making new species. The success of 
such proceeding has been made the basis of a theory so extreme, that it 
at once threatens to destroy the classifications of science, and the religious 
faiths of mankind. ‘ 
It is, indeed, also true, that the like inheritable qualities exist in the 
[Jan. 5, 
hi 
Saran 
