LAW OF VARIATIONS. 45 



of the almost universal variability of our domestic 

 productions. The subject is an obscure one; but it 

 may be useful to probe our ignorance." 



It is impossible for Darwin to take refuge behind any 

 presumption, that the facts of variation are ultimate in 

 their character, that they are inscrutable, and that 

 therefore it is no reproach to him, or to his theory, 

 that he has not generalized the facts ; for, he precludes 

 himself from the adoption of any such subterfuge by 

 averring that " a cause for each variation must exist." 



Thus, the base of Darwin's theory is ignorance ! 



It is true, that here and there, throughout his works, 

 he seemingly endeavors to convey the impression, that 

 the facts of variation are ultimate, and even forgets 

 himself so far, in his work on Animals and Plants 

 Under Domestication, as to assert that the problem of 

 the cause of variations is " a difficulty as insoluble as 

 is that of free will and predestination." (P. 516, Vol. 

 ii, Animals and Plants, &c.) 



It must be an occasion, for surprise, to the reader, 

 that such an all important matter, as the cause or the 

 law of the improvements, arising all around us, should 

 receive the scant treatment of only a few sentences, 

 scattered here and there, through Darwin's works. 

 One would have thought that the great multitude of 

 facts which he has collated, would have furnished, at 

 least, a clue which the author might have wrought 

 into some conjecture as to the law. He has several 

 chapters on what he terms " The Causes of Variability," 

 which might mislead his readers, if he did not, in the 

 most explicit terms, state that these "causes" are hot 



