ACQUIRED VARIATIONS 139 



The process, however, will be one of continuous pattern-evolution if 

 the train of thought is uninterrupted. The point, however, to which 

 we return is that all basoplasm has the gift of primitive memory in 

 that it has the power of repeating particulate pattern or plan, and 

 that this is based on the cycle of the ultimate particle— Attraction, 

 Repulsion, Attraction. Memory is but the restoration of a pre- 

 viously obtaining state. If two atoms unite by attraction and then 

 become momentarily separated by repulsion, their regained freedom 

 is the memory of their freedom immediately before union ; and if 

 later they should unite again, their former combination is remembered. 

 An amoeba might engorge a particularly large alga cell, or enter a 

 very hostile dry environment, and recover from either experience. 

 On the experience being repeated the amoeba could be said to remember 

 the occasion on which it happened previously, in that, other things 

 being equal, its controlling centre would respond in the same way 

 as on that occasion. Further " memories " might arise during the 

 return to normal conditions. 



Acquired Variations. 



As variation is essentially change from a definite state 

 or plan, its acquisition may be said to be always sudden. 

 It is true that recognisable change or variation might be 

 slow in appearing, or as a whole be gradually intensified ; 

 but such intensification would really be due to repeated 

 sudden acquisitions of variation. Naturally, when referring 

 to variations, people really mean recognisable variations ; 

 but in every living organism there must be countless varia- 

 tions which we cannot recognise ; and our point is that 

 in all cases the acquired variation is imprinted suddenly. 



It is, however, to be noted that the acquired variation 

 does develop gradually in a certain sense, for the Individual 

 as a whole develops gradually, and the variation evolves 

 with the Individual's cycle. This may be illustrated by 

 our imagining a modifying force to act on the first two 

 division-results of the zygote. In such a case we must 

 presume that the modification produced would be a definite 

 sudden change in the constitution or " plan " of the cells 

 affected, or in other words, that there would be sudden 

 acquired variation in the two cells : variation from the 

 plan of the two cells which became the male or the female 

 parent. But the two cells, modified as we have supposed, 

 become an Individual, which on maturity can exhibit a 

 recognisable somatic acquired variation as the result of the 



