New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-02-11

would have tho best chance OF surviving and perpek
uating their kind Ga the other hand, il is evident
that any variation in the least degree injurious
would be rigidly destroyed. The preservation Of
favorable variations, and the rejection Of injurious
variations, is then what is meant by Mr. Darwin az
natural selection. To understand the probable
course Of this principle take the case Of country
undergoing come physical change, for instance, Of
climate The proportional numbers Of its inhssi.
tahts would almost instantly undergo change, and
some species might become extinct. ANY change in
the numerical proportions of some Of the inhAbi'
tants, independently of the change Of climate itsel
would most seriously affect many Of tho others. II
the country were open on its borders, new forms
would certainly immgrate, and this also would Sc
riously disturb the relations Of some Of the former
inhabitants. Thus every slight modification which
might chance to arise in the course of ages and
which in any way favored the individuals of any Of
the species, by better adapting them 10 their al
tered condition, would tend to DO preserved; aud
natural selection would thus have free scope for
the work of improvement.
To illustrate the action of this principle more
particularly, take the case Of q wolf which preyS
on various notwithstanding some by craft, some
by strength, and some by heetneSs. Suppose that
the eetest prey, deer, for instance had, from any
change in the country, increased in numbers, or
that any other prey had decreased in numbersdurng
that season of the year when the wolf is hardest
pressed for food Can ii be doubted that the swift
est and smmest wolves would have the best chance
Of surviving, and be preserved or selected, pro.
vded that they retained sufficient strength to mas
ter their prey, when they might be compelled 10
depend on some other animals. Even without any
change in the proportional number Of animals on
which the wolf preyed, q cub might be born with an
innate tendency to pursue certain kinds Of prey.
This cannot be deemed improbable, when we
observe such great differences in the natural tenden
cieI Of our domestic animals; one cat, for instance
taking to catch rats; another, mice; one bringing
home winged game; another, bares or rabbits; and
another hunting on marshy ground, and almost
nightly catching woOdcOckS or snipe. Now, if any
slight innate change of habit or Of structure, bene
fitted an individual wolf, it would have the best
chance of surviving, and of leaving offspring. Some
of its young would probably inherit the same habits
or structure and by the repetition of this process
a Hew variety might be formed, which would either
supplant or cOexist with the parent form Of wolf.
We need not follow the author in his various ap-
pleationS of this principle, as we have aimed to
give general idea of his method, rather than to
elucidate It in its complicated aud intricate details
His reasonings are almost always ingenious and
striking, and are presented with fairness and ev.
dent love Of truth. Though the conclusions at
which Mr. Darwin has arrived are widely different
from received opinions, be never betrays love Of
paradox, or a desire to startle or surprise bis
reader by extraordinary statements. He possesses
the modesty Of true science, and though he often
deals in coDectures, be never fails to bring plauS
bic array Of facts in their support Il il not easy
to see how far he pushes the application Of his
theory. On this point, his language is ambiguous,
and as il appears to US, often inconsistent Some
times, be would seem 10 shrink from conclusions,
toward which he is impeled BY the force Of logic.
His mind, we imagine, is still in state Of suspense,
deeply impressed by the result of observations which
present the Kingdoms Of nature in a new light, but
scarcely prepared to accept their legitimate cOnse-
quenees. Under such circumstances, be can hardly
look for an intelligent assent on the part Of his read
ers. Thus he Asserts that animals have descended
from at most only four or five progeutos, and
plants from an equal or smaller number. At tho
same time, he argues that analogy would lead
still farther, and suggest the belief that all
animals and plants have descended from some
one prototype. All living things have much in
common in their chemical competition, their ger
mina vesieleE, their cellular structure, and their
laws Of growth and reproduction. This is seen
even in 90 triAing circumstance as that the same
poison often similarly affects plants and animals.
The poison Secreted by the gall-ey produces mon
strous srOwtbs on the wild rose or oak-tree.
Hence, concludes Mr. Darwin, we may infer from
analogy that probably all the organic beings which
have ever lived on this earth have descended from
some one primOrdial form, into which life was FIRST
breathed. The whole history Of the world, as at
present known although Of length quite incOm-
prehersibe by us, viii hereafter be recognized as
mere fragment Of time, compared with the ages
which have elapsed since the fnt creature, the
progenitor Of nnumerable extinct and living de-
scendants, was created. This statement, in ap-
parent contradiction with the general bearing Of
the volume, is sufficiently revolutionary in its
character, in spite of the neHabe quetness with
which it is announced 1t fully throws down the
gauntlet to the whole scientific world, and will
doubtless call forth an intellectual conflict of no
little interest.
THE FATE OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN.
A NARRATIVE OF THE DISCOVERY or THE FATE
or SIR JOHN FRANKLIN AND HIS COMPANIONS.
BY Captain hCLnToCK, r. n, LID. Up Ga Ticknor