THE EXCISED " MY'S." 2+3 



•been familiar to all biologists from the year 1749, 

 when Buffon advanced it in its most comprehensive 

 form, to the present day." If Mr. Darwin had said 

 something to the above effect, no one would have 

 questioned his good faith, but it is hardly necessary to 

 say that nothing of the kind is to be found in any one 

 of Mr. Darwin's many books or many editions ; nor 

 is the reason why the requisite correction was never 

 made far to seek. For if Mr. Darwin had said as 

 much as I have put into his mouth above, he should 

 have said more, and would ere 'long have been com- 

 pelled to have explained to us wherein the difference 

 between himself and his predecessors precisely lay, 

 and this would not have been easy. Indeed, if Mr. 

 Darwin had been quite open with us he would have 

 had to say much as follows : — 



"I should point out that, according to the evolu- 

 tionists of the last century, improvement in the eye, 

 as in any other organ, is mainly due to persistent, 

 rational, employment of the organ in question, in such 

 slightly modified manner as experience and changed 

 surroundings may suggest. You will have observed 

 that, according to my system, this goes for very little, 

 and that the accumulation of fortunate accidents, 

 irrespectively of the use that may be made of them, 

 is b/ far the most important means of modification. 

 Put more briefly still, the distinction between me and 

 my predecessors lies in this ; — my predecessors thought 

 they knew the main normal cause or principle that 

 underlies variation, whereas I think that there is no 

 general principle underlying it at all, or that even if 



