Origin of Species Variorum

Comparison with 1861

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. ↑

I will here notice a few miscellaneous objections which have been advanced against my views, as some of the previous discussions may perhaps thus be made clearer. ↑ ↑ It has been argued that as none of the animals and plants of Egypt, of which we know anything, have changed during the last 3000 years, so probably none have been modified in other parts of the world. The many animals which have remained unchanged since the commencement of the glacial period would have been an incomparably stronger case, for these have been

towards the close of the Introduction, ... no one ought to feel surprise at much remaining as yet unexplained on the origin of species, if we make due allowance for our profound ignorance on the mutual relations of the inhabitants of the world during the past epochs in its history.

Various Objections considered.

I will here notice a few miscellaneous objections which have been advanced against my views, as some of the previous discussions may perhaps thus be made clearer; but it would be useless to discuss all of them, as many have been made by writers who have not taken the trouble to understand my views. Thus a distinguished German naturalist has recently asserted that the weakest part of my theory is, that I consider all organic beings as imperfect: what I have really said is, that all are not as perfect in relation to their conditions ... as they might be; and this is shown to be the case by so many native forms in many quarters of the world yielding their places to intruding foreigners which have become naturalised. Nor can all organic beings, even if they were at any one time perfectly adapted to their conditions of life, remain so, when the conditions slowly change, unless they likewise change; and no one will dispute that the physical conditions of each country, as well as the numbers and kinds of its inhabitants, are liable to change. ↑ It has been argued that, as none of the animals and plants of Egypt, of which we know anything, have changed during the last 3000 years, so probably none have been modified in any other part of the world. The many animals which have remained unchanged since the commencement of the glacial period would have been an incomparably stronger case, for these have been