308 



NOTICES OF AUTHORS. 



seems to be to give one individual (the strongest 

 best circumstance-suited) superiority over others of 

 its kind around, that it may, by overtopping and 

 smothering them, procure room for full extension, 

 and thus affording, at the same time, a continual 

 selection of the strongest, best circumstance- suited, 

 for reproduction. Man's interference, by prevent- 

 ing this natural process of selection among plants, 

 independent of the wider range of circumstances to 

 which he introduces them, has increased the differ- 

 ence in varieties, particularly in the more domesti- 

 cated kinds ; and even in man himself, the greater 

 uniformity, and more general vigour among savage 

 tribes, is referrible to nearly similar selecting law — 

 the weaker individual sinking under the ill treat- 

 ment of the stronger, or under the common hard- 

 ship. 



As our author's premises thus appear neither 



self-e\ident, nor supported by facts, it might seem 



unfair, at least it would be superfluous, to proceed 



to the consideration of his conclusions and corolla- 

 ries. 



