THE FALLACIES OP NATURAL SELECTION. 16T 



measure in which he is more fortunate (or, rather, less 

 unfortunate) than his fellows. It is manifest, however, 

 that such measure of fortune, accruing from the occa- 

 sional dollar which he receives, is not net profit, but the 

 mere return, or regain (and that, but in a small degree), 

 of the capital stock which has been fast melting away. 

 The analogy, we presume, is clear to all. This case 

 is a fair analogue of Darwin's argument from Natural 

 Selection. There was, originally, a certain amount of 

 organic capital, in each species under nature. Darwin, 

 in picturing the operation of Natural Selection, neces- 

 sarily shows adverse conditions, whose obvious effect 

 is a drain upon that capital. (Such effect is not merely 

 obviously implied; but is shown in Darwin's "rudi- 

 mentary organs," in his "long-lost characters," and in 

 the wide scope which he ascribes to Reversion.) A 

 favorable modification is assumed to occur " sometimes 

 during the course of thousands of generations." This 

 is the analogue of the tradesman's monthly sale of a 

 dollar's worth of goods. Now, says Darwin, this as- 

 sumed, favorable modification is a step in the advance 

 of the given species towards a higher development. 

 But, he has ignored the vital question as to whether 

 it is net profit to the species in which the variation 

 arises. It is, evidently, but the mere return of what 

 has been lost. There has been, — according to the 

 very argument which is used, — previous, organic ex- 

 pense, or loss ; and this variation is but a partial return 

 of the organic capital before expended. Before it was 

 possible for him fairly to found any argument upon the 

 profit or improvement, accruing to any animal or plant, 



