Comparison with 1869 |
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a miraculous process." |
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The third volume of the 'Journal of the Linnean Society' contains papers, read July 1st, 1858, by Mr. Wallace and myself, in which, as stated in the introductory remarks to this volume, the theory of Natural Selection is promulgated by Mr. Wallace with admirable force and clearness. |
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Von Baer, towards whom all zoologists feel so profound a respect, expressed about the year 1859 (see Prof. Rudolph Wagner,
'Zoologisch-Anthropologische 'Zoologisch-Anthropologische 1866 1869 | "Zoologisch-Anthropologische 1872 |
Untersuchungen,' Untersuchungen,' 1866 1869 | Untersuchugen,' 1872 |
1861, s. 51) his conviction, chiefly grounded on the laws of geographical distribution, that forms now perfectly distinct have descended from a single parent-form. |
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In June, 1859, Professor Huxley gave a lecture before the Royal Institution on the 'Persistent Types of Animal Life.' Referring to such cases, he remarks, "It is difficult to comprehend the meaning of such facts as these, if we suppose that each species of animal and plant, or each great type of organisation, was formed and placed upon the surface of the globe at long intervals by a distinct act of creative power; and it is well to recollect that such an assumption is as unsupported by tradition or revelation as it is opposed to the general analogy of nature. If, on the other hand, we view 'Persistent Types' in relation to that hypothesis which supposes the species living at any time to be the result of the gradual modification of pre-existing
species—a species—a 1866 1869 | species— 1861 1872 |
....... 1866 1869 | a 1861 1872 |
hypothesis which, though unproven, and sadly damaged by some of its supporters, is yet the only one to which physiology lends any countenance; their existence would seem to show that the amount of modification which living beings have undergone during geological time is but very small in relation to the whole series of changes which they have suffered." |
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In December, 1859, Dr. Hooker published his 'Introduction to the Australian Flora.' In the first part of this great work he admits the truth of the descent and modification of species, and supports this doctrine by many original observations. |
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The first edition of this work was published on November 24th, 1859, and the second edition on January 7th, 1860. |
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∗
Aristotle, in his 'Physicæ Auscultationes' (lib. 2, cap. 8,
s. 2), s. 2), 1866 1869 | s.2), 1872 |
after remarking that rain does not fall in order to make the corn grow, any more than it falls to spoil the
farmers farmers 1869 | farmer's 1866 1872 |
corn when threshed out of doors, applies the same argument to
organisation; organisation; 1866 1869 | organisation: 1872 |
and adds (as translated by Mr. Clair Grece, who first pointed out the passage to
me). me). 1869 | me), 1866 | me), " 1872 |
"So
what hinders the different parts (of the body) from having this merely accidental relation in nature? as the teeth, for example, grow by necessity, the front ones sharp, adapted for dividing, and the grinders flat, and serviceable for masticating the food; since they were not made for the sake of this, but it was the result of accident. And in like manner as to the other parts in which there appears to exist an adaptation to an end. Wheresoever, therefore, all things together (that is all the parts of one whole) happened like as if they were made for the sake of something, these were preserved, having been appropriately constituted by an internal
spontaneity; spontaneity; 1866 1869 | spontaneity, 1872 |
and whatsoever things were not thus constituted, perished, and still perish." We here see the principle of natural selection shadowed forth, but how little Aristotle fully comprehended the
principle principle 1866 1869 | principle, 1872 |
is shown by his remarks on the formation of the teeth. |
It is curious how largely my grandfather, Dr. Erasmus Darwin, anticipated the views and erroneous grounds of opinion It is curious how largely my grandfather, Dr. Erasmus Darwin, anticipated the views and erroneous grounds of opinion 1869 |
I have taken the date of the first publication 1861 |
∗
I have taken the date of the first publication
1866 1872 |
of Lamarck
in his 'Zoonomia' (vol. I. pp. 500-510), published in 1794. in his 'Zoonomia' (vol. I. pp. 500-510), published in 1794. 1869 |
from Isid. Geoffroy Saint Hilaire's ('Hist. Nat. Générale,' tom. ii. p. 405, 1859) ex-
cellent history of opinion on this subject.
1861 |
from Isid. Geoffroy Saint Hilaire's ('Hist. Nat. Générale,' tom. iI. p. 405, 1859) excellent history of opinion on this subject. 1866 |
from Isid. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire's ('Hist. Nat. Générale,' tom. ii. p. 405, 1859) excellent history of opinion on this subject. 1872 |
↑1 blocks not present in 1869; present in 1861 1866 1872 | In this work a full account is given of Buffon's fluctuating
conclusions on the same subject.
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In this work a full account is given of Buffon's conclusions on the same subject. In this work a full account is given of Buffon's conclusions on the same subject. 1869 |
It is curious how largely my grandfather, Dr. Erasmus Darwin, anticipated the erroneous grounds of opinion, and the views of Lamarck, in his 'Zoonomia' (vol. I. p. 500-510), published in 1794. 1861 |
It is curious how largely my grandfather, Dr. Erasmus Darwin, anticipated the views and erroneous grounds of opinion of Lamarck in his 'Zoonomia' (vol. I. pp. 500-510), published in 1794. 1866 |
It is curious how largely my grandfather, Dr. Erasmus Darwin, anticipated the views and erroneous grounds of opinion of Lamarck in his 'Zoonomia' (vol. i. pp. 500-510), published in 1794. 1872 |
According to Isid. Geoffroy there is no doubt that
Geothe Geothe 1869 | Goethe 1861 1866 1872 |
was an extreme partisan of similar views, as shown in the Introduction to a work written in 1794 and 1795, but not published till long
afterwards: he has pointedly remarked ('Geothe als Naturforscher,' von Dr. Karl Meding, s. 34) that the future question for naturalists will be how, for instance, cattle got their horns, and not for what they are used. afterwards: he has pointedly remarked ('Geothe als Naturforscher,' von Dr. Karl Meding, s. 34) that the future question for naturalists will be how, for instance, cattle got their horns, and not for what they are used. 1869 |
afterwards. 1861 |
afterwards: he has pointedly remarked (Goethe als Naturforscher, von Dr. Karl Meding, s. 34) that the future question for naturalists will be how, for instance, cattle got their horns, and not for what they are used. 1866 |
afterwards: he has pointedly remarked ('Goethe als Naturforscher,' von Dr. Karl Meding, s. 34) that the future question for naturalists will be how, for instance, cattle got their horns, and not for what they are used. 1872 |
It is rather a singular instance of the manner in which similar views arise at about the same period,
that
Geothe Geothe 1869 | Goethe 1861 1866 1872 |
in Germany, Dr. Darwin in England, and Geoffroy
Saint Hilaire Saint Hilaire 1861 1866 1869 | Saint-Hilaire 1872 |
(as we shall immediately see) in France, came to the same conclusion on the origin of species, in the years 1794-5. |
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∗
From references in Bronn's 'Untersuchungen
über über 1866 1869 | über 1861 1872 |
die
Entwickelungs-Gesetze' Entwickelungs-Gesetze' 1861 1866 1869 | Entwickelungs-Gesetze,' 1872 |
it appears that the celebrated botanist and palæontologist Unger published, in 1852, his belief that species undergo development and modification. D'Alton, likewise, in Pander and d'Alton's
work on Fossil Sloths, expressed, in 1821, a similar belief. Similar views have, as is well known, been maintained
by Oken in his mystical 'Natur-Philosophie.' From other references in Godron's work 'Sur l'Espèce,' it seems that Bory St. Vincent, Burdach, Poiret, and Fries, have all admitted that new species are continually being produced.
I may add, that of the thirty
authors named in this Historical Sketch, who believe in the modification of species, or at least disbelieve in separate acts of creation, twenty-five
have written on special branches of natural history:
of these only three are simple geologists, nine are botanists, and thirteen zoologists; but several of the botanists and zoologists have written on palæontology or on
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