the cause of Correlation of Growth; and of the causes of others of his many colligations of facts, Darwin asserts that he is “in profound ignorance." Their explanation, in this work, however, puts a wholly different phase upon the problem of development, from that which Darwin by merely estimating the ratio of development of seemingly inexplicable variations) has given it; and, further, demonstratively proves that species are normally immutable; that there is, for each species, a physiologically perfect type (capable of being realized by careful selection); and that this type, although it is susceptible of modification, in countless ways, is or may be modified, only at the cost of evil results which soon lead to the sterility, lessened constitutional vigor, and consequent extinction, of the line of those individuals which have so departed from the true moulds of their respective species. These conclusions are arrived at, simply by making a slightly different apportionment of Darwin's facts, under Darwin's principles. Mr. Darwin has a body of facts, and a certain set of scientific factors. These facts he distributes under his several factors, conformably to a system of apportionment which leaves a residuum which, in default of ability to explain, he is unwillingly constrained to refer to such confessedly illegitimate factors, or entities, as, "an innate tendency," "spontaneous variability," "the nature and constitution of the being which varies," "some great law of nature," etc. In this Refutation and Converse Theory, all of Darwin's facts are taken for granted, as are all of his scientific factors. These same facts, however, are differently apportioned, with but a slight variation from Darwin's mode of distribution of them; and they are relegated to the same set of factors, in such relative quantities, as to leave no residuum of facts unexplained; and, thereby, the necessity is obviated, of any reference to such metaphysical and unscientific entities, as “innate tendency," and others, such as Darwin employs. The result, moreover, of this mode of distribution of the same facts under the same set of principles, is (as the author conceives) to prove, unmistakably, the immutability of each species. The advantage of the plan herein pursued, is, that no controversy, whatever, can reasonably arise, respecting either the validity of the facts employed, or the legitimacy of the principles assumed. The issue is narrowed down to the mere questions, of the soundness of the mode in which the facts are distributed, and of the significance of the results of such a manner of apportionment. To avoid the appearance of egotism, and the circumlocution by which such effect might have been avoided, the plural pronoun has been used, instead of the more obtrusive I. T. WARREN O'NEILL. PHILADELPHIA, DECEMBER 20, 1879. |