200 CROSSING AND CLOSE-INTERBREEDING. 



stratively, that the divergence of character, by which 

 he affects to believe, varieties are evolved into dis- 

 tinct species, is not normally possible; for, they 

 show, that the actual divergence of character shown, 

 is at the expense of the animals' and plants' vigor 

 of constitution, and of their fertility; and that, in- 

 stead of such divergent varieties diverging into dis- 

 tinct species, they diverge inevitably to sterility and 

 to death ! They show that the exclusive possession, 

 of any positive character, by any variety of a species 

 (which is necessarily implied by divergence of charac- 

 ter), is to the detriment of the individuals of the other 

 varieties of the same species. They show, that the 

 possession of any negative feature, or the reduction, 

 suppression, or absence of any character, or a different 

 ratio of the development of the characters, from that 

 of the original type, is injurious. They show, that 

 there cannot be more than one variety, of any species, 

 consistent with physiological integrity; and that Dar- 

 win's divergent varieties are but injurious modifica- 

 tions of such normal variety which is the sum of all 

 the possible characters of the given species. 



The phenomena of Crossing, and the phenomena 

 especially of Close-Interbreeding, have long been the 

 occasion of a spirited controversy between two schools 

 (as they may be called), intent, the one on affirming, 

 and the other on denying, the fact that the alleged 

 effects do flow. 



The question, particularly, whether evil effects re- 

 sult from Close-Interbreeding, became of moment, 

 with them, not because of its intrinsic importance, 



