VARIATIONS, DUE TO REVERSION. 51 



blemish of this nature" (p. 381, Vol. ii, Animals and 

 Plants, &c). 



Why should there be any mystery about the cause 

 of variations, or improvements? In the second ex- 

 tract above, he asserts that these rudimentary organs 

 plainly show, that an early progenitor had the organs 

 in a fully developed state. In the last quotation, he 

 says - that, of species in a state of nature, there is 

 scarcely one which has not these suppressed organs. 

 Will not these assertions of his, cover and explain 

 every favorable or positive variation which has arisen, 

 or which may arise, under domestication, or under 

 nature? When the animal or plant is placed under 

 domestication, it improves solely by reason of the re- 

 development of reduced, or suppressed organs. Ac- 

 cording to Darwin's own showing, each species is 

 imperfect when taken from a state of nature; and, 

 therefore, it is, that it possesses a certain margin for 

 improvement. Within this margin, Man's care and 

 selection are operative. No greater complexity of 

 structure is ever acquired by an individual under 

 domestication, than that which its species once lost. 

 If any great variation, or change, has taken place 

 under nature, this assertion of Darwin, viz., of the im- 

 perfection of each species, shows that such variation, 

 or such change, has not, as he contends, been in the 

 direction of increase of development; but, rather, in 

 the direction of decrease, of degeneration, of devolu- 

 tion, instead of evolution. Indeed, the very condi- 

 tions, under which he represents his Natural Selec- 

 tion as operating, imply degeneration, rather than any 



