Evening star., 1897-04-17
PROF. COPE's PHILOSOPHY.
His Belief in the Survival and Origin
of Fitness.

Oh FITNESS.
From the New York Post.
As an evolutionary philosopher Prof. Cope
| is widely known as the leader of the Neo-
Lamarckian school in this country, and. as
historic parallel, it is noteworthy that in
this sphere he has shown many of the bril-
liant qualities well as certain of the de-
fciencies in logic which characterized the
great French predecessor Of Darwin He
was attracted to Lamarck's theory by the
magnet which has led all American pale
ontologists to the same school, namely. bv
the definite or determnate direction of the
evolution of fossil animals in all their
parts. and by the further fact that this di-
rection comedies with the influences of
habit, growth and environment. Thus. In
the preface of his first collected philosophi-
cal essays, the Origin Of the Fittest,' he
says the important point Is not only the
survival, but the origin of fitness, and this
he traces tO.the inheritance of individual
reaction to environment. The powerful as
sault by Weismaun in 1882 upon such in
heritance did not dismay Cope in the least:
ne has simply rested upon the facts of
paleontology as demonstrating the actual
lty OF such transmission, and has proposed
purely hypothetical heredity theory of
his own, entitled "Diplogenesis.' Much of
his reasoning from the facts is, however,
as unsound as Lamarck's was, and has
opened him to equally severe criticism
Like this philosopher again, he has en-
throned Consciousness on Archaesthetism
as prime factor in evolution, and in its
highest form, mind, has given 1t the fore
most place as an evolution factor. We can
Eot here speak in detail Of all the numer-
Gus manifestations of this vigorous intel
lectual life. His duties and responsibilities
as chief editor of the American Natural
ist'' would alone have filled the time of an
ordinary worker; but his capacity seemed
perfectly tireless. and only a week ago.
after two months of intermittent illness
the writer found him in perfect mental
health. ~ az
His house in Pine street, PHILADELPHIA.
is as unique as his life, stored from cellar
to garret with his wbnderful collections.
heavily dust-laden. HIS own room, like
Huxley's study, is piled, waist high with
pamphlets, fossils and alcoholic specimens,
chaos to the visitor. but perfect order in
his own mind. Occasionally an aged tor
toise would wander out from beneath the
pelvis Of saurian. and his latest pet was
gila-monster, who, contrary to the popu-
lar belief, was perfectly harmless, and
loved to have the professor scratch his
head. Here Prof. Cops, was always to be
found, keen with interest for everything
in the world Of ratural Iscience, a cham
pion of the supremacy Of intellectual over
material forces. a free lance in scientific
criticism. Here he showed heroic fortitude
through years Of adversity and financial,
reverses, and endured uncomplainingly the
terrible suffering which preceded his final
collapse. His devoted wife and daughter
rightly felt that 1t was fitting for him to
pass away amid these surroundings rather
than to have him removed to hospital.
The news of his early death will be re-
ceved with deep regret by naturalists all
over the world, and with deep sorrow by
his friends and admirers in this country.
science.