New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-03-11

and Geology ia Brown University Octave. PIP
XII. s5l Dongnans, Green az Co
Charles Darwin is popularity regarded as the
chief apostle Of the theory of evolution in plant
and animal life more particularly among English
speaking people. To some extent. no doubt, that
supposition is based on the fact that his utter
anoes were more widely discussed by the non
scientific classes than those OF any previous be
Iiever IN the same doctrine Other causes also
have probably contributed to that result. Among
naturalists. however, there has been growing
disposition for at least quarter of a century TO
render larger share Of honor to Lamarck. Pro
lessor Packard is evidently thus inclined, though
he INDUCES in no pleading The record of the
great Frenchmans life and teachings is allowed
10 rnonopollze the argument
Lauarck's father wanted TO make a priest
out If the boy The latter insisted entering
the army but an accident which overlook him
at the age of seventeen O76D precluded mill
ta-y career. For the next four years he
studied medicine in Paris, supporting himself In
the mean time by service in a bank A chance
meeting with Rousseau al this time interested
him in botany however. and opened the way to
his real career. A publication devoted TO the
flora OF France. the fruit OF ten years hard
study 076s-17TSl, Lamarck the favor Of
many scientific men Of that day Button, who
wanted to send his around Europe to
study the natural history museums. secured
the appointment of Lamarck royal commits
sioner 70 make such investigation. and then
arranged that his protege should act as the
youths guide and instructor. After his return
TO Paris Lamarck occupied several posts in the
Jar6in des Plantes and the National Museum Of
Natural History.
In the latter institution. at the age of fifty
1793) he was made professor of invertebrate
zoology The small salary which he received in
this capacity supplemented by a government
pension and annual allowance of $40 (after-
ward 5000 from the French Academy of
Sciences. Lamarck died in 1929, the ripe age
OF eigldy-five. During the last ten years OF his
life he was partially wholly blind, yet he
continued to lecture. investigate. collect and
write almost to his dying day. The most famous
and valuable of his works a seven volume
Natural History of Invertebrate Animals
Qs15-ls22)
The I'D idea concerning the different species
OF animals was that each had precisely the
same characteristics as at the very beginning
The modern notion is that they have all shown
q tendency to vary from the original type that
"a multiplication OF species has resulted, and
that, IN the consequent struggle for existence
those remained which were best adapted to cope
with their enemies and their environment. The
vital parts OF the doctrine of evolution the
first an last of these theories The principle
OF "natuHl selecton"-a wedding out by ma
ture whih Spencer happily terms the survival
of the fitest'-was almost simultaneously dis
covered ~ Darwin and Wallace Lamarck an
Hcipated Them, however, in emphasizing the
yariahilit, Of species. He was nearly sixty
sears of age QS02) when he first announced his
belief m durability and disavowed his earlier
conviction to the contrary. At that time his
pupil. Culver, was great power in the VOID
OF Feie1ce, and as he strongly discredited the
new tie uchlng on this point, it received
with much favor for half a century.
Lamarck undertook, furthermore, to explain
variation the effect Of circumstances-cli-
mate food soil and temperature. Use devel-
oped. a1c disuse generally caused the disap-
new plopensities and functions. Organs were
originated by a change of habits. An enormous
: period OF time required to permit these
Horces thus to operate. but this Lararck con-
ceoEed. Concerning man, he remarked that there
are esst,nishing differences between the ignorant
and The educated. and, though the resemblance
to'monKegs is not close. the improvement might
be due solely TO the influence Of favora Bile cir
cunlstsncks. working gradually for a long
period. The doctrine that newly acquired traits
be transmitted to offspring has been Wig
oro=asly puted by Weismann, who claims to
be the 70 resentative Of Darwinisrn EvoIu-
honists to-day thus divided into two schools,
: followers OF Lamarck and disciples of Weis-
mann. Among the former the biographer places
Cope. Mash. Alpheus Hyatt, Scott. Osborn and
other American biologists and paleontologists