THE FALLACIES OP NATURAL SELECTION. 137 



Is it the Selection which causes such advance? 



Manifestly, it is not. The advance in development 

 is produced, independently of the Selection. Man's 

 Selection does but preserve and accumulate the devel- 

 opments. 



Selection either does but preserve those which 

 progress the fastest ; or, where some alone of the in- 

 dividuals improve, it does but preserve those which 

 have improved; or, where none improve, but some de- 

 generate, and some hold their own, it does but pre- 

 serve those which hold their own ; or, where all have 

 degenerated, it does but preserve those which have de- 

 generated the least. 



Obviously, then, the fact, that those selected have 

 increased in development, must first, either be assumed, 

 or be proven; before any argument may be drawn 

 from Selection, designed to prove any ratio of accumu- 

 lation of slight successive increments of develop- 

 ment. 



Therefore, it is, that we contend that Darwin cannot 

 justly prove the needful, slight advances in develop- 

 ment, by means of Selection ; for, that process never 

 even implies advance in development, unless advance 

 in development is first assumed, or proven, aliunde ! 



If, in any generation, the individuals, of a species, 

 under nature, do but hold their own; or, if they 

 degenerate, it is manifest, that Natural Selection, /«r se, 

 cannot imply any advance in development. Advance 

 in development must be established, independently, as 

 a fact; or, inferred from the circumstance, that the 

 conditions, to which the individuals of the given 



