290 Prof, Guthrie^ LL.B. — On the Subjective Causes of [April 25, 



Darwin himself explains this by supposing that of cbe identical 

 species formerly occupying these two areas, some have varied and 

 some have not, those which have varied being now allied species, 

 those which have not varied being identical species. 



But as according to him widely diffused species are varying species, 

 it seems more in accordance with probability to hold that the closely 

 :allied species are those which have varied from the common parent in 

 ■slightly different directions in the two areas, while the identical 

 species are those which have varied still more closely. At any rate it 

 seems impossible to deny that simultaneous parallel variation is a 

 vera causa for the existence of widely diffused species. 



ORIGIN OF LIFE. 



-Let us now examine whether Darwin's theory as to the origin of 

 •OTganic life on the earth throws any light on his views as to sub- 

 jective variational tendencies. 



In the first edition of the "Origin of Species," page 484, we find the 



following passages : 



" I believe that animals have descended from at most only four or 



five progenitors, and plants from an equal or lesser number." 

 ****** 



" I should infer from analogy that probably all the organic beings 



which have ever lived on this earth have descended from 



some one primordial form, into which life was first breathed," 



In the sixth edition, pages 424 and 425, similar passages occur, only 



that for the second passage the words into ivliich life ivas first 



breathed are omitted. 



Are we to understand from this that Darwin regarded the origin of 

 organic life on the earth as supernatural ? If the words " into 

 which life was first breathed " which appear in the first edition seem 

 to imply the attribution of a supernatural origin to organic life, 

 their omission in the sixth edition might be regarded as showing a 

 desire on Darwin's part not to commit himself to any such theory. On 

 the other hand, however, the following passage, also from the same 

 edition, seems to point to a different conclusion. On page 423 we 

 iind the words : 



•" It has been maintained by several authors that it is as easy to 

 believe in the creation of a million beings as of one, but 

 Maupertuis' philosophical axiom of ' least action ' leads the 

 mind more willingly to admit the smaller number." 



