RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [1858.10.23-11.13]. Draft of Origin of species, Sect. VI, folio 213. CUL-DAR157.4. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed and edited by John van Wyhe. RN4
NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. "Lady Barlow has presented five-and-a-half sheets of the 1859 manuscript of The Origin of Species, noting that these were 'rescued from under the stairs at Down by my Aunt, Mrs Litchfield'." Cambridge University Reporter, Part 2, 1959, p. 1807.
See the introduction to the Origin of species drafts by John van Wyhe
The text of the draft corresponds to Origin, Chapter VI, Difficulties on theory, pp. 193-4. [words at page break in green]
[pencil insertion by Nora Barlow?:] 4
(213
Sect VI. Means of Transition
adherent granules of pollen adhering together & borne on a foot-stalk with a sticky gland at the one end, is the same in the Orchis & Asclepias, which belong to the two main divisions of phanerogamic plants. In most of such cases, however, it should be observed that although the general appearance & function of the organ is be the same in the remotely related species, yet some fundamental difference in the part which has been used being modified for the purpose in question may often be detected; & I am inclined to believe, that in nearly the same way as from the general advance of knowledge two men [illeg] sometimes independently hit on the very same invention, so natural selection, under somewhat similar circumstances & for a similar purpose working for the good of each being & taking advantage of analogous variations, has sometimes modified in the same way part of two organisms, which had owed but little in common from to inheritance.)
Although in many cases it is most difficult to conjecture by what transitions an organ could have arrived at its present state, yet, considering how small the proportion of living forms must be to the
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Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 24 November, 2023