It is surprising that this admission should not have been made earlier, as Professor Owen now believes that he promulgated the theory of natural selection in a passage read before the Zoological Society in February, 1850 ('Transact.' vol. iv. p. 15); for in a letter to the 'London Review' (May 5, 1866, p. 516), commenting on some of the reviewer's criticisms, he says, "No naturalist can dissent from the truth of your perception of the essential identity of the passage cited with the basis of that (the so-called Darwinian) theory, the power, viz., of species to accommodate themselves, or bow to the influences of surrounding circumstances." Further on in the same letter he speaks of himself as "the author of the same theory at the earlier date of 1850." This belief in Professor Owen that he then gave to the world the theory of natural selection will surprise all those who are acquainted with the several passages in his works, reviews, and lectures, published since the 'Origin,' in which he strenuously opposes the theory; and it will please all those who are interested on this side of the question, as it may be presumed that his opposition will now cease. It should, however, be stated that the passage above referred to in the 'Zoological Transactions,' as I find on consulting it, applies exclusively to the extermination and preservation of animals, and in no way to their gradual modification, origination, or natural selection. So far is this from being the case that Professor Owen actually begins the first of the two paragraphs (vol. iv. p. 15) with the following words:—"We have not a particle of evidence that any species of bird or beast that lived during the pliocene period has had its characters modified in any respect by the influence of time or of change of external circumstances." ↑| 6 blocks not present in 1861 1866; present in 1869 1872 | | This Address was delivered after the papers, by Mr. Wallace and myself on the Origin of Species, presently to be referred to, had been read before the Linnean Society.
When the first edition of this work was published, I was so completely deceived, as were many others, by such expressions as "the continuous operation of creative power," that I included Professor Owen with other palæontologists as being firmly convinced of the immutability of species; but it appears ('Anat. of Vertebrates,' vol. iii. p. 796) that this was on my part a preposterous error.
In the last edition of this work I inferred, and the inference still seems to me perfectly just, from a passage beginning with the words "no doubt the type-form," &C. (Ibid. vol. i.
p. xxxv.), that Professor Owen admitted that natural selection may have done something in the formation of new species; but this it appears (Ibid. vol. iii.
p. 798) is inaccurate and without evidence.
I also gave some extracts from a correspondence between Professor Owen and the Editor of the 'London Review,' from which it appeared manifest to the Editor as well as to myself, that Professor Owen claimed to have promulgated the theory of natural selection before I had done so; and I expressed my surprise and satisfaction at this announcement; but as far as it is possible to understand certain recently published passages (Ibid. vol. iii. p. 798), I have either partially or wholly again fallen into error.
It is consolatory to me that others find Professor Owen's controversial writings as difficult to understand and to reconcile with each other, as I do.
As far as the mere enunciation of the principle of natural selection is concerned, it is quite immaterial whether or not Professor Owen preceded me, for both of us, as shown in this historical sketch, were long ago preceded by Dr. Wells and Mr. Matthews.
|
|
M. Isidore Geoffroy
Saint Hilaire, in | Saint Hilaire, in 1861 1866 1869 |
| Saint-Hilaire, 1872 |
| his 1861 1866 1869 | | in his 1872 |
| fixes, 1861 1866 1869 | | fixés, 1872 |
| ambiantes 1861 1866 1872 | | am- biantes 1869 |
| changer." 1861 1866 1869 |
|
changer." "En résumé,
l
'
observation
des animaux sauvages démontre déjà la variabilité
limitée
des espèces.
1872 |
| résumé 1866 | | résumé, 1861 1869 |
|
l'observation
1866 1869 |
|
l
'
observation
1861 |
|
