Lhe Theory of Natural Selection. 271 
phyletic modification (or inherited change of type) 
indiscriminately, without waiting to consider whether 
in particular cases its application is so much as 
logically possible. The term “natural selection ” thus 
becomes a magic word, or Sesame, at the utterance of 
which every closed door is supposed to be immediately 
opened. Be it observed, I am not here alluding to 
that merely blind faith in natural selection, which of 
late years has begun dogmatically to force this 
principle as the sole cause of organic evolution in 
every case where it is logically possible that the prin- 
ciple can have come into play. Such a blind faith, 
indeed, I hold to be highly inimical, not only to the 
progress of biological science, but even to the true 
interests of the natural selection theory itself. As to 
this I shall have a good deal to say in the next 
volume. Here, however, the point is, that the theory 
in question is often invoked in cases where it is not 
even logically possible that it can apply, and therefore 
in cases where its application betokens, not merely an 
error of judgment or extravagance of dogmatism, but a 
fallacy of reasoning in the nature of a logical contra- 
diction. Almost any number of examples might be 
given; but one will suffice to illustrate what is meant. 
And I choose it from the writings of one of the 
authors of the selection thcory itself, in order to show 
how easy it is to be cheated by this mere juggling 
with a phrase—for of course I do not doubt that a 
moment's thought would have shown the writer the 
untenability of his statement. 
In his most recent work Mr. Wallace advances an 
interesting hypothesis to the effect that differences of 
colour between allied species, which are apparently 
