130 An Examination of Weismannism. 



placed under changed conditions ; that his offspring inherit some 

 of his change ; and that they vary still further on their own ac- 

 count, in the same direction, and so on through successive genera- 

 tions, until a notable change in the congenital characteristics of the 

 race has been effected. Hence, it is concluded that a change 

 in the personal structure has reacted on the sexual elements. 

 For my part, I object to so general a conclusion, for the fol- 

 lowing reasons. It is universally admitted that the primary 

 agents in the processes of growth, nutrition, and reproduction 

 are the same, and that a true theory of heredity must so regard 

 them. In other words, they are all due to the development 

 of some germinal matter, variously located. Consequently, when 

 similar germinal matter is everywhere affected by the same 

 conditions, we should expect that it would be everywhere 

 affected in the same way. The particular kind of germ whence 

 the hair sprang, that was induced to throw out a new variety 

 in the cells nearest to the surface of the body under certain 

 changed conditions of climate and food, might be expected to 

 throw out a similar variety in the sexual elements at the same 

 time. The changes in the germs would everywhere be collateral, 

 although the moments when any of the changed germs hap- 

 pened to receive their development might be different 1 . 



This allusion to Mr. Galton's Theory of Heredity 

 leads me to consider what Professor Weismann has 

 said with regard to it in this latest publication, 

 where, for the first time, he has dealt with it. 

 In my opinion he has done but scant justice to the 

 views of his predecessor, and therefore I will occupy- 

 some considerable space in seeking to justify this 

 opinion. 



As already stated, from the time that Mr. Galton 

 published his theory I have felt that in its main con- 

 tention it presents a probably true solution of the main 

 problem of heredity — viz., to account for the contrast 



1 Galton, loc. cit., pp. 343-344- 



