The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-15


| by De vries that In certain alg@ the con
stituents OF cellular tissue pass imme
| diately from the maternal ovum to the daugh
| ter organism. We should add that q mass o
| evidence both direct and indirect 10 reserve,
| by Mr.. Romanes for q subsequent volume
wherein he purposes to challenge the validit!
OF Weissmann's fundamental postulate touch
| Ing the nom occurrence OF Lamarckian fac
tors in any Of the m ulticellu!sr organisms.
vi.
We come lastly to the ompanion postulate
| which describes the germ plasm as absolutelI
stable since tho first origin OF sexual propaga
ton. In this case. unlike the one Just con.
sidered. there is an immensely strong pre-
sumption against the postulnte on anteceden
grounds. It is well-nigh Incredible that the
most complex substance In nature should
likewise be the most stable substance with re.
gard to com plcxity OF molecular structuro:'
that the greater its comrlexity becomes. the
greater becomes Its stability. so that. while In
the comparative simple unicellular organisms
1t is eminently susceptible OF Modification by
external conditions. 1t entirely ceases to be
thus susceptible when 1t becomes evolved into
the imcomparably more intricate and varied
structures which form the bases OF herodity in
the multicelular organisms. whore also 1t
as we'll as diverse relations with the external
world. Speaking for himself. Mr.. Romanes de
clares that he should require some enormous
weight of evidence to balance so enormous an
antecedent improbability. As matter OF fact.
however tho affirmative empirical evidence
adluced by Weissniann has been found upon
examination to be nil. On the othor hand. the
empirical evidence against the doctrine Is
shown to be abundantly sufficient to de-
molish It. and this quite apart from all
the antecedent considerations above re-
cited. Not only does Mr.. Romanes bring
forward sundry facts OF bud variation. a-sex-
ual origin OF species. &c which contradict
the doctrine. but he also sets forth the results
OF direct experiment which prove that the al
legged stability OF germ plasm may be upset by
slight changes in tho external conditions Of
life So that. from both within and without
the stability which Weissmann postulates ad-
mits Of being overturned by facts. We are
warned nevertheless. In order to avoid all
possible confusion. that on tho part OF the
author Of this criticism as we'll as on that OF
Darwin himself there Is not. and never has
been. any question touching the high
degree Of stability which is exhibited
by whatever substance it Is that con-
stitutes the material basis of heredlty. But
this lie q widely different thing from pronounce
ing. as Weissmann does. the stability absolute.
SO that 1t can never have been affected in any
degree since the first origin OF multicelular
organisms. or in any OF the millions OF species
into which these organisms have ramifled.
The fact that In some cases we are actually
able to observe a change OF congenital charac-
ter resulting from some spontaneous change
in the heredity material itself las in bud varia-
tom. or from some change in the external
conditions OF life las In Hoffmanns expert
mentsl-this fact is more than Ia required In
order finally to overthrow the intrinscaly I'M
tenable doctrine which is in question.
With the collapse. however. OF the postulate
that germ plasm is absolutely stable. there
collapses also the important chain OF deduc-
tons thereirom which together constitute
Weismann's theory OF evolution. Among
the deductions that must be given up may be
particularly name the following: That natural
selection is the exclusive means Of m odifcation
among all the Metazoa and Metaphyta. while
It is exclusively ruled out with respect to all
the frotozoa and Protophyta: that individual
va among the former can only
action 81 tho be
in ali, the Metazoa and Metaphyta is to be
sought and can only be found in variations
Protozoa and Brotophyta: and that the signiii-
canoe OF sexual propagation Is to be found In
the view that by this means alone can co,ngen-
ltal variations ever since have been produced.
VII
Upon the whole. then. it appears to Mr.. Ro-
names that both the fundamental postulates
Of Weissmann's theory OF germ plasm are I'M
sound He sees. indeed. many and cogent
reasons for believing that the substance of
heredity is largely continuous and highly sta
be But that this substance has been unin-
continuous since the origin Of life
and absolutely stable since the origin Of SEX
lal propagation. he sees even moro and
better reasons for denying. Inasmuch as
.heso two latter and distinctivs postu-
ates are not needed for Weissmann's
;heory Of heredity while they are both essen
ial to his theory Of evolution. Mr.. Romanes
expresses n regret that the German thinker
should have crippled the former theory by bur-
he ESSAYS collected in this volume has been to
he colossal structure which Welssman has
authors dissent from Weissman's theory OF
EVOLUTION does not prevent him from appre- |
sf hs hs the great h. yss
indeed does not hesitate to say that even the |
after theory Is. in his opinion. Incomplete:
isteneies.. and even. logical contradictions:
hat the facts on which it is founded have
iiWayS Deen idclS OF general hOtlce. tnat In all |
t. main features 1t was present to the mind OF
Darwin and distinctly formulated by Cation;
nd lastly. that in so far as It has, been made
he basis OF a more general theory OF or
'anic evolution, it has clearly proved a
ur author cordially recognizes the ser.
ices Ices, which nc iMeissmann has rendered to
is acknowledged not only that lie has
nore general attention to the i'm portant 0ues-
,ons touching the transmissi bility OF acc uired
a "a n nf ri ta. "A
ut that even those parts OF his system which
re proved untcnabe are not without such
Il Ne as temporary scaffoldings possess In re-
.tion to permanent buildings. Although.
nerefore. In the book before us Mr.. Homanes
lay appear to playthe role OF a hostile critic
9 ass assures us that he has been prompted by q
esire to separate what has see led to him the
rain OF good science from the chaff OF bad
Vassur College Life.
PouGHKEEPsIE. Oct. lathe delegates sent
Ist June from the Vassar Young Women's
hristian Association to the College Women's