The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-03-16

hIo Darwin was leo 10 somewhat restrict the
scope which In the Origin Of Species " he had
| assigned to tho action OF natural selection
The passage announcing the extent to which
his earlier view had been modified. and setting
forth the grounds at once Of his original opin-
ion and Of the subsequent qualification OF It,
occurs In tho Descent Of Man." and is on
moro than one account remarkable. He still
insists that "A large. yet underlined, ex-
tension may safely be given to the d.
rect and indirect results OF natural selec-
ton. but I now admit that in tho
earlier editions OF my Origin Of Species I
perhaps attributed too much to the action OF
natural selection or tho survival Of the flttest"
He is. however. convinced from the light
gained during even the last few years that very
many structures which now appear to us use
less will hereafter DO proved to DO useful and
will therefore como within tho range OF nat
ural selection. Nevertheless" he adds with
rare frankness. Il did not formerly consider
suhlctently the existence OF structures which.
rs far as We can at present judge. are neither
beneficial nor Injurious. and this believe TO
be one OF the greatest oversights as yet de-
tected In my work. l may DO permitted
to say. as some excuse. tina. had
two distinct objects in view: firstly. to
show that species had not been separately Gre
ated: and secondly. that natural ssection had
been the chief agent Of change. though largely
aided by the inherited effects OF habit and
slightly by the direct action Of tho surround
ing conditions" 1t is. indeed. a striking proof
OF the inherited effects OF habit on mental at
titudes that In approaching this inquiry Darwin
himself was not ut first able to wholly "annul
tho influence Of my former belief then univcr-
sal. that each species had been purposcly Gre
ated. and this led to my tacit assumption that
iafai taf atr
was OF some special though unrecognized. ser
vice. Any one with this assumption in his
mind would naturally extend too far
the action Of natural selection. either
during past or present times. Some
OF those who admit the principle OF evolution.
but reject natural selection. seem to forget.
when crticising my book that I had the above
two objects In view; hence. IL havo erred in
giving to natural selection great power which
l am very far from admitting. or in
having exaggerated its power. which Is
in itself probable. have at least. as hone.
done good service in aiding TO overthrow the
dogma Of separate creations"
Not only did Darwin studiously refrain from,
declaring what effect. II any. his scientific con-
illusions had on his religious opinions. but In
his study Of Variations In Animals and
Plants" lie almost apologies for noticing the
difficulty which might be experienced in recon-
Cling his view OF the origin OF species with the
current metaphysical conceptions of the
Creator. Here We are led to face a
great difficulty in abiding to which l am
aware that l am travelling beyond my
proper province. An omniscient Creator must
have foreseen every consequence which results
from the laws imposed by him. DID
he ordain. however. that the crop and tail
feathers OF the pigeon should vary in order
that the fanciar might make his grotesqus
pouter and fantail breeds? Did he cause
the frame and mental qualities OF the
dog TO vary in order that breed might be
formed OF indomitabe ferocity with jaws
fitted to pin down the bull for mans brutal
spot? But IL VIZ give I'm tho principle in one
case. no shadow Of reason can be as
signed for tho belief that variations. alike in
nature and the result Of tho same general
laws. which have been the groundwork through
natural selection Of the formation OF the most
perfectly adapted animals in the world man in
cluded. were Intentionally and specially
guided" He adds. with lingo Of regret.
remembering the attempt Of one Of his most
apprcciative American critics to discern tsleo-
logical indications even in the process by
which. according to Darwin. species must have
been generated. However much we may wish
1t. we can hardly follow Prof. Asa Gray in his
belief thnt variation has been led lby provl-
dental powerl along certain beneficial lines
like a stream along definite and useful lines Of
irrigation If We assume that each particular
variation was from the beginning OF all time
then that Elasticity OF orGania-
tlon which leads to many injurious deviations
OF structure. as well as the redundant power
OF reproduction which inevitably leads to
a struggle for existence. and as q consequence
to the natural selection or survival OF the fittest
must appear to us superfuous laws Of nature.
On the other hand. an omnipotent and ON
niscient Creator ordains everything and fore-
sees everything. Thus we are brought face to
faco with difficulty as insoluble as is that OF
treconcilinGl FREQ will and predestination."
In summing up his conclusions regarding
tho genealogy Of man. Darwin unhesitatingly
discards the classification commended by the
names OF Blumenbach and Cuvier who placed
man in q separate order under tho title OF
Bimana. He accepts tho view propounded by
LinnTus who included man in the same order
with tho QuadrumanA. under tho designation
Of the Primntes. We must bear in mind"
no says. reciting the grounds OF his
opinion. tho comparative insignhcnnce
for classification OF the great develop
mont OF the brain In man. and that the
strongly marked differences between tho
skulls OF man and the Quadrumana apparently
follow from their differently developed brains.
In the second place. We must remember that
nearly all the other and more important differ
ences between man and the Qundrumana are
manifestiy adaptive in their nature and relate
chiefly to the erect position OF man. such rs tho
structure OF his hand. foot. and pelvis tho
curvature OF his spine. and tho position OF his
head. The family Of senls offers Il good illus
tration OF the small importance Of adaptive
characters for classification. These animals
differ from all other carnivora in tho form Of
their bodies and In the structure OF their limbs
far more than does man from the higher apes.
vet In most systems. from that OF Cuyier to the
most recent one by Mr.. Flower. seals are ranked
as mere family in tho order Of the carnivora
IL man had not been his own classiher. he
would never have thought OF founding sop.
arate order for his own reception"
Darwin. then. arrived at the conviction that
from genealogical point OF view man ought
to form merely family, or possibly even only
sub-famlly" lof the SimiddUl. But with
which OF tho broad branches of tho ana trunk