■238 GEOEGE JOHN EOMANES 1888- 



body of experimental observations. As far as time 

 has hitherto allowed, the results are strongly corrobo- 

 rative of the theory. 



I have now read your admirable book, and my 

 only objection to it is that it seems in such large 

 measure to anticipate the publication of my own 

 ■course of lectures on the theory of Evolution which 

 I am now giving at the Eoyal Institution. But, on 

 the other hand, this will relieve me of the necessity 

 of printing a good deal of my matter, as it will be 

 sufficient to refer to your book in mine when the two 

 cover common ground. It is needless to add that I 

 am very glad to note you think so well of physiolo- 

 gical selection. 



Yours very truly, 



G. J. KOMANES. 



The theory of the Non-Inheritance of Acquired 

 Characters, with which Professor Weismann's name 

 is inseparably connected, was now coming to the front. 



Mr. Romanes was, of course, intensely interested, 

 and set himself not to dispute so much as to examine 

 and to test it. 



He devoted a large part of his last year at the 

 Eoyal Institution to lecturing on Prof. Weismann's 

 theory, which lectures he worked up into his book, 

 'An Examination of Weismannism,' published in 

 1892. 



He devised many experiments to test that theory, 

 experiments which have a pathetic interest for those 

 who love him, for they occupied his mind up to the 

 very day of his death. 



Of this theory it may safely be said that since the 

 promulgation of Mr. Darwin's great doctrine, no pro- 

 blem has interested the world of science so profoundly. 



