that many more individuals are born than can possibly survive) that individuals having any advantage, however slight, over others, would have the best chance of surviving and of procreating their kind? On the other hand, we may feel sure that any variation in the least degree injurious would be rigidly destroyed. This preservation of favourable
variations | variations 1859 1860 1861 |
| variations, 1866 1869 |
| individual differences and variations, 1872 |
| rejection 1859 1860 1861 1866 | | destruction 1869 1872 |
| injurious variations, I call 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 |
| those which are injurious, I have called 1872 |
| Selection. 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
| Selection, or the Survival of the Fittest. 1869 1872 |
| a 1859 1860 1861 1866 | | either a 1869 1872 |
| the species called polymorphic. 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
| certain polymorphic species, or would ultimately become fixed, owing to the nature of the organism and the nature of the conditions. 1869 1872 |
| 10 blocks not present in 1859 1860; present in 1861 1866 1869 1872 | | Several writers have misapprehended or objected to the term Natural Selection.
Some have even imagined that natural selection induces variability, whereas it implies only the preservation of such variations as occur
and are beneficial to the being under its conditions of life.
No one objects to agriculturists speaking of the potent effects of man's
selection; and in this case the individual differences given by nature, which man for some object selects, must of necessity first occur.
Others have objected that the term selection implies conscious choice in the animals which become modified; and it has even been urged that
as plants have no volition, natural selection is not applicable to them!
In the literal sense of the word, no doubt, natural selection is a misnomer;
but who ever objected to chemists speaking of the elective affinities of the various elements?
— and yet an acid cannot strictly be said to elect the base with which it will
in preference combine.
It has been said that I speak of natural selection as an active power or Deity; but who objects to an author speaking of the attraction of gravity as ruling the movements of the planets?
Every one knows what is meant and is implied by such metaphorical expressions; and they are almost necessary for brevity.
So again it is difficult to avoid personifying the word Nature; but I mean by Nature, only the aggregate action and product of many natural laws, and by laws the sequence of events as ascertained by us.
With a little familiarity such superficial objections will be forgotten.
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We shall best understand the probable course of natural selection by taking the case of a country undergoing some
physical | physical 1859 1860 1861 | | slight physical 1866 1869 1872 |
| would 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 | | will 1872 |
| might 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 | | will probably 1872 |
| some of 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 | some of 1872 |
| most 1859 | most 1860 1861 1866 1869 1872 |
| many of 1859 1860 1861 1866 | many of 1869 1872 |
| also 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 | also 1872 |
| seriously 1859 1860 1861 | | often seriously 1866 1869 | | likewise seriously 1872 |
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