Origin of Species Variorum

Comparison with 1866

exist in numbers throughout the world, and in nearly every class, from various causes. In some cases favourable variations may never have arisen for natural selec- tion to act on and accumulate. In no case, probably, has time sufficed for the utmost possible amount of development. In some few cases there may have been what we must call retrogression of organisation. But the main cause lies in the circumstance that under very simple conditions of life a high organisation would be of no service,— possibly would be of actual disservice, as being of a more delicate nature, and more liable to be put out of order and thus injured.

A difficulty, diametrically opposite to this which we have just been considering, has been advanced, namely, that, looking to the dawn of life, when all organic beings, as we may imagine, presented the simplest structure, how could the first steps in advancement or in the differentiation and specialisation of parts have arisen? ↑ Mr. Herbert Spencer would probably answer that as soon as the most simple unicellular organism came by growth or division to be compounded of several cells, or became attached to any supporting surface, his law would come into action, namely, "that homologous units of any order become differentiated in proportion as their relations to incident forces become different." But as we have no facts to guide us, all speculation on the subject is useless. It is, however, an error to suppose that there would be no struggle for existence, and, consequently, no natural selection, until many forms had been produced: variations in a single species inhabiting an isolated station might be beneficial, and, through their preservation, either the whole mass of individuals might become modified, or two distinct forms might arise. But, as I remarked towards the close of the Introduction, ... no one ought to feel surprise at much remaining as yet unexplained on the origin of species, if due allowance be made for our profound ignorance on the mutual relations of the inhabitants of the world during the many past epochs in its history.

exist in numbers throughout the world, and in nearly every class, from various causes. In some cases favourable variations may never have arisen for natural selection to act on and accumulate. In no case, probably, has time sufficed for the utmost possible amount of development. In some few cases there may have been what we must call retrogression of organisation. But the main cause lies in the circumstance that under very simple conditions of life a high organisation would be of no service,— possibly would be of actual disservice, as being of a more delicate nature, and more liable to be put out of order and thus injured.

A difficulty, diametrically opposite to this which we have just been considering, has been advanced, namely, looking to the dawn of life, when all organic beings, as we may imagine, presented the simplest structure, how could the first steps in advancement or in the differentiation and specialisation of parts have arisen? I can make no sufficient answer; and can only say that as we have no facts to guide us, all speculation on the subject would be baseless and useless. ↑ It is, however, an error to suppose that there would be no struggle for existence, and, consequently, no natural selection, until many forms had been produced: variations in a single species inhabiting an isolated station might be beneficial, and through their preservation either the whole mass of individuals might become modified, or two distinct forms might arise. But I must recur to what was stated towards the close of the Introduction, where I say that no one ought to feel surprise at much remaining as yet unexplained on the origin of species, if due allowance be made for our profound ignorance on the mutual relations of the inhabitants of the world during the many past epochs in its history.