THE FALLACIES OP NATURAL SELECTION. 165 



development of a lower into a higher species. But, 

 unfortunately, the consistency of the beautiful and in- 

 genious hypothesis, is marred, by the part thereof 

 which prompts the reader to an estimate of the 

 amount of degeneration wrought upon such a vary- 

 ing organism, by the fearful Struggle for Existence, 

 in the interval, of the thousand generations, which pre- 

 ceded the mysterious appearance of such a variation. 

 Given, the " Battle for Life " to have been continually 

 waging, during such interval, as Darwin assumes it to 

 have been ; was the degeneration, effected during such 

 period, greater or less, than the degree of subsequent 

 development, represented by such occasional variation ? 

 and, is it likely, in view of the circumstances detailed, 

 that such variation was net gain to the given species ? 

 are questions which obtrude themselves upon the 

 reader, who is competent to discern, that .subjective 

 harmony, even, is wanting in Darwin's argument from 

 Natural Selection. 



This question, of net gain to the species is an emi- 

 nently suggestive one. Fancy a person endeavoring to 

 prove that a certain friend of his was growing rich, in 

 trade; and doing it thus: He has a large stock of 

 goods — Everybody seems to be in the same line of 

 trade — Sharpest competition, between them, that you 

 ever saw — There have been "panic times" ever since 

 he started in the business, and the same lively compe- 

 tion — He has a large number of clerks and salesmen, 

 whom he has to pay, whether there is business or not — 

 He is under a heavy rent — The disadvantages, over which 

 he triumphs, may be conceived, when I state, that only 

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