| → but that other species are real, that is, have been independently created. 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 |
| but that other species are real, that is, have been independently created. This seems to me a strange conclusion to arrive at. 1872 |
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to hide our ignorance under such expressions as the "plan of creation," "unity of design," &c., and to think that we give an explanation when we only
a fact. Any one whose disposition leads him to attach more weight to unexplained difficulties than to the explanation of a certain number of facts will certainly reject
theory. A few naturalists, endowed with much flexibility of mind, and who have already begun to doubt
the immutability of species, may be influenced by this volume; but I look with confidence to the
to young and rising naturalists, who will be able to view both sides of the question with impartiality. Whoever is led to believe that species are mutable will do good service by conscientiously expressing his conviction; for
can the load of prejudice by which this subject is overwhelmed be removed. |
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| Several eminent naturalists have of late published their belief that a multitude of reputed species in each genus are not real species;
→but that other species are real, that is, have been independently created. This seems to me a strange conclusion to arrive at. They admit that a multitude of forms, which till lately they themselves thought were special creations, and which are still thus looked at by the majority of naturalists, and which consequently have
external characteristic
of true species,— they admit that these have been produced by variation, but they refuse to extend the same view to other and
slightly different forms. Nevertheless they do not pretend that they can define, or even conjecture, which are the created forms of life, and which are those produced by secondary laws. They admit variation as a
vera
causa
in one case, they arbitrarily reject it in another, without assigning any distinction in the two cases. The day will come when this will be given as a curious illustration of
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