NEOLAMARCKISM 



423 



genealogical descent of all organic beings, the more 

 complex from the more simple; he nevertheless 

 failed to conceive the selective principle as formu- 

 lated by Darwin and Wallace, which so admirably- 

 complemented these great laws." * 



As is well known, Huxley was, if we understand 

 his expressions aright, not fully convinced of the 

 entire adequacy of natural selection. 



" There is no fault to be found with Mr. Darwin's 

 method, then; but it is another question whether 

 he has fulfilled all the conditions imposed by that 

 method. Is it satisfactorily proved, in fact, that 

 species may be originated by selection ? that there 

 is such a thing as natural selection ? that none of 

 the phenomena exhibited by species are inconsistent 

 with the origin of species in this way ? 



" After much consideration, with assuredly no bias 

 against Mr. Darwin's views, it is our clear conviction 

 that, as the evidence stands, it is not absolutely 

 proven that a group of animals, having all the char- 

 acters exhibited by species in nature, has ever been 

 originated by selection, whether artificial or natural. 

 Groups having the morphological character of species, 

 distinct and permanent races, in fact, have been so 

 produced over and over again ; but there is no posi- 

 tive evidence, at present, that any group of animals 

 has, by variation and selective breeding, given rise 

 to another group which was even in the least degree 

 infertile with the first. Mr. Darwin is perfectly 

 aware of this weak point, and brings forward a mul- 

 titude of ingenious and important arguments to 

 diminish the force of the objection." f 



* Proceedings Biological Society of Washington, vi., 1892, pp. 



13, 19. 



\Lay Sermons, Addresses, and Reviews, 1870, p. 323. 



