73 6 An Exegesis of Darwinism. [December, 
terised, it is obvious that free intercrossing would soon 
obliterate such small distinctions ” (ii., 67). The obliteration 
is, however, “governed by natural selection,” — a proposition 
perhaps more convenient than intelligible. May it mean 
that natural selection would favour a varying individual 
which happened to be pre-potent in the transmission of cha- 
racter ? But for such pre-potency there is no guarantee. 
Another antidote to obliteration is, however, forth- 
coming, — namely, the tendency of allies to vary in a like 
manner. Was the bearing of this ever recognised by Mr. 
Darwin ? 
It better ensures the propagation of a new character if 
both parents are similarly characterised (i., 460), “ in the 
great majority of cases a new character ... is not strongly 
inherited judicious matching is necessary (ii., 17 7)* “ In 
a few rare cases peculiarities fail to be inherited, apparently 
from the force of inheritance being too strong ” (i. 465 ; ii., 
58) ; but when any deviation in structure or constitution is 
common to both parents, this is often transmitted in an 
augmented degree to the offspring ” (ii., 237). 
Let it be “ remembered that selection may be applied to 
the family ” (p. 230). To obviate the dangers of the breeding 
of near kin, yet preserve the integrity of the new character, 
more than one family might advantageously be modified. 
Happily, then, “ we may conclude from the analogy of 
ordinary variations ” that “some few ” are affeCted (p. 231), 
or “ a third, fifth, or tenth part of the individuals may have 
been ” similarly affefted (p. 70). When all or nearly all are 
affeCted the result is referable to the direCt and definite aCtion 
of changing conditions (p. 106 ; ii., 260, &c.) ; but this is an 
ancillary faCtor, or rather (with apologies for sarcasm) a 
very ancillary faCtor. 
13. The first question is not — Are variations constantly 
occurring ? but, if so, are they being constantly selected ? 
If the variations are of indifferent value, certainly not ; but 
if they favour the possessor the circumstance will determine 
their selection. Now variation ordinarily being indefinite or 
promiscuous, the chances are against a succession of indif- 
ferent variations. Under domestication any desired character 
is almost sure to appear (pp. 22, 23, and compare Vilmorin’s 
view, ii., 250). The only remaining faCtor, therefore, is the 
struggle; and as “ each area is already fully stocked with 
inhabitants ” (pp. 54, 85), while “ we do not know that even 
the most prolific area is fully stocked with specific forms ” 
(p. 101) ; and as natural selection is “ the doCtrine of 
Malthus applied with manifold force to the whole animal 
