Luck, or Cunning, as the Main Means of Organic Modification Part 12

"It must not be forgotten that, ON MY THEORY, all the species of the same genus have descended from some one species" (p. 341).

"My theory" became "our theory" in 1869.

Again:-

"He who rejects these views on the nature of the geological record, will rightly reject MY WHOLE THEORY" (p. 342).

"My" became "our" in 1869.

Again:-

"Pa.s.sing from these difficulties, the other great leading facts in palaeontology agree admirably with THE THEORY OF DESCENT WITH MODIFICATION THROUGH VARIATION AND NATURAL SELECTION" (p. 343).

Again:-

The succession of the same types of structure within the same areas during the later geological periods CEASES TO BE MYSTERIOUS, and IS SIMPLY EXPLAINED BY INHERITANCE (p. 345).

I suppose inheritance was not when Mr. Darwin wrote considered mysterious. The last few words have been altered to "and is intelligible on the principle of inheritance." It seems as though Mr. Darwin did not like saying that inheritance was not mysterious, but had no objection to implying that it was intelligible.

The next paragraph begins--"If, then, the geological record be as imperfect as I believe it to be, . . . the main objections TO THE THEORY OF NATURAL SELECTION are greatly diminished or disappear. On the other hand, all the chief laws of palaeontology plainly proclaim, AS IT SEEMS TO ME, THAT SPECIES HAVE BEEN PRODUCED BY ORDINARY GENERATION."

Here again the claim to the theory of descent with modification is unmistakable; it cannot, moreover, but occur to us that if species "have been produced by ordinary generation," then ordinary generation has as good a claim to be the main means of originating species as natural selection has. It is hardly necessary to point out that ordinary generation involves descent with modification, for all known offspring differ from their parents, so far, at any rate, as that practised judges can generally tell them apart.

Again:-

"We see in these facts some deep organic bond, prevailing throughout s.p.a.ce and time, over the same areas of land and water, and independent of their physical condition. The naturalist must feel little curiosity who is not led to inquire what this bond is.

"This bond, ON MY THEORY, IS SIMPLY INHERITANCE, that cause which alone," &c. (p. 350).

This pa.s.sage was altered in 1869 to "The bond is simply inheritance." The paragraph concludes, "ON THIS PRINCIPLE OF INHERITANCE WITH MODIFICATION, we can understand how it is that sections of genera . . . are confined to the same areas," &c.

Again:-

"He who rejects it rejects the vera causa of ordinary generation,"

&c. (p. 352).

We naturally ask, Why call natural selection the "main means of modification," if "ordinary generation" is a vera causa?

Again:-

"In discussing this subject, we shall be enabled at the same time to consider a point equally important for us, namely, whether the several distinct species of a genus, WHICH ON MY THEORY HAVE ALL DESCENDED FROM A COMMON ANCESTOR, can have migrated (undergoing modification during some part of their migration) from the area inhabited by their progenitor" (p. 354).

The words "on my theory" became "on our theory" in 1869.

Again:-

"With those organic beings which never intercross (if such exist) THE SPECIES, ON MY THEORY, MUST HAVE DESCENDED FROM A SUCCESSION OF IMPROVED VARIETIES," &c. (p. 355).

The words "on my theory" were cut out in 1869.

Again:-

"A slow southern migration of a marine fauna will account, ON THE THEORY OF MODIFICATION, for many closely allied forms," &c. (p.

372).

Again:-

"But the existence of several quite distinct species, belonging to genera exclusively confined to the southern hemisphere, is, ON MY THEORY OF DESCENT WITH MODIFICATION, a far more remarkable case of difficulty" (p. 381).

"My" became "the" in 1866 with the fourth edition. This was the most categorical claim to the theory of descent with modification in the "Origin of Species." The "my" here is the only one that was taken out before 1869. I suppose Mr. Darwin thought that with the removal of this "my" he had ceased to claim the theory of descent with modification. Nothing, however, could be gained by calling the reader's attention to what had been done, so nothing was said about it.

Again:-

"Some species of fresh-water sh.e.l.ls have a very wide range, AND ALLIED SPECIES, WHICH, ON MY THEORY, ARE DESCENDED FROM A SINGLE SOURCE, prevail throughout the world" (p. 385).

"My theory" became "our theory" in 1869.

Again:-

"In the following remarks I shall not confine myself to the mere question of dispersal, but shall consider some other facts which bear upon the truth of THE TWO THEORIES OF INDEPENDENT CREATION AND OF DESCENT WITH MODIFICATION" (p. 389). What can be plainer than that the theory which Mr. Darwin espouses, and has so frequently called "my," is descent with modification?

Again:-

"But as these animals and their sp.a.w.n are known to be immediately killed by sea-water, ON MY VIEW, we can see that there would be great difficulty in their transportal across the sea, and therefore why they do not exist on any oceanic island. But why, ON THE THEORY OF CREATION, they should not have been created there, it would be very difficult to explain" (p. 393).

"On my view" was cut out in 1869.

On the following page we read--"On my view this question can easily be answered." "On my view" is retained in the latest edition.

Again:-

"Yet there must be, ON MY VIEW, some unknown but highly efficient means for their transportation" (p. 397).

"On my view" became "according to our view" in 1869.

Again:-

"I believe this grand fact can receive no sort of explanation ON THE ORDINARY VIEW OF INDEPENDENT CREATION; whereas, ON THE VIEW HERE MAINTAINED, it is obvious that the Galapagos Islands would be likely to receive colonists . . . from America, and the Cape de Verde Islands from Africa; and that such colonists would be liable to modification; the principle of inheritance still betraying their original birth-place" (p. 399).

Again:-

"With respect to the distinct species of the same genus which, ON MY THEORY, must have spread from one parent source, if we make the same allowances as before," &c.

"On my theory" became "on our theory" in 1869.

Again:-

"ON MY THEORY these several relations throughout time and s.p.a.ce are intelligible; . . . the forms within each cla.s.s have been connected by the same bond of ordinary generation; . . . in both cases the laws of variation have been the same, and modifications have been acc.u.mulated by the same power of natural selection" (p. 410).