HISTORY OF THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION 13 



rabbits, "is it not possible that nature in all the long 

 ages during which the world has existed may have 

 produced the different kinds of plants and animals 

 by gradually enlarging one part and diminishing 

 another, to meet the wants of each ? " 



This is a full statement of all the essential points ; 

 the unity of active causes in organic and inorganic 

 nature ; the ultimate explanation of these causes in 

 the chemical and physical properties of matter ; the 

 derivation of all organisms from some few most 

 simple forms ; the coherent course of events in 

 Nature, and the absence of cataclysmal revolutions. 

 It is a full and complete statement of the doctrine of 

 Evolution as held at the present day, man himself 

 being included, both as regards his mental powers 

 and his bodily structure. This is often confused 

 with the Darwinian theory, but is really quite dis- 

 tinct. Lamarck tells us that animals are descended 

 one from another, and have a common bond of 

 union or blood relationship. This explains the 

 affinities of animals and of man, but fails to explain 

 how and why. The Darwinian theory explains how 

 this came about, and why this progressive trans- 

 formation of organic forms has taken place, and 

 what causes effected the uninterrupted production 

 of new forms. Lamarck's views, though perfectly 

 correct, were mere speculations until Darwin sup- 

 plied the reason and explained the mode of action. 

 Lamarck considered the long neck of the giraffe as 

 due to its constantly stretching its neck to pick 

 leaves from high trees ; the long tongue of the 

 woodpecker, humming-bird, and ant-eater to the 



