258 The Amirin Natevelid. 
the publication of his more recent works, and closes with the following 
remarks: te 
“Thus, the Weismannian theory of evolution has entirely fallen to 
pieces with the removal of its fundamental postulate—the absolute — 
stability of germ-plasm. It only remains to mention once more the 
effects of this removal upon the other side of his system, viz., the com- 
panion postulate of the uninterrupted continuity of germ-plasm, with 
its superstructure in his theory of heredity.” oe 
Briefly, these effects are as follows: ie 
“1. Germ-plasm ceases to be continuous in the sense of having borne 
a perpetual record of congenital variations from the first origin of sexual 
propagation. : 
“2. On the contrary, as all such variations have been originated bythe 
direct action of external conditions, the continuity of germ-plasm T 
this sense has been interrupted at the commencement of every inher : 
ted change during the phylogeny of all plants and animals, unicellular 
as well as multicellular.” 5 
“3. But germ-plasm remains continuous in the restricted, though . 
still highly important sense, of being the sole repository of hereditary ; 
characters of each successive generation, so that acquired characters 
can never have been transmitted to progeny “ representatively,” even 
although they have frequently caused those “specialized ” changes m 
the structure of germ-plasm which, as we have seen, must certainly po > 
been of considerable importance in the history of organie evolution. - 
“4. By surrendering. his doctrine of the absolute stability of germ: — l 
plasm on the one hand, and of its perpetual continuity on the other, — : 
Weismann has greatly improved his theory of heredity. For, e : 
may be thought of his recent additions to this theory in meee a 
elaborate speculation touching the ultimate mechanism of heredity, so oe 
a great gain to have freed his fundamental postulate of the — = 
of germ-plasm from the two further postulates which have P Fie 
mentioned, and the sole purpose of which was to provide a basis 
untenable theory of evolution.” 
“5. In my opinion, it only remains for : Ake 
remnant of his theory of Pas am by cancelling his modified pene oe 
less tenable views on amphimixis, in order to give us ® able” : 
heredfty which is at once logically intact and biologically P p stirp in 
“6. The theory of germ-plasm would then resemble w | - 
all points of fundaniental importance, save that while the mene ee 
open the question as to whether acquired characters are ves a ue 
- in any degree, the former would dogmatically close it, chiely 
him to withdraw the last - 
A E Rede O a E 
