Course of Evolution

Excerpt from The Course of Evolution by Differentiation or Divergent Mutation Rather Than by Selection

AN accident in 1905, and the nature of my official occupation, forced me to work that could be done in spare time with the aid of a pen and a library, and since then I have largely devoted myself to the study of geographical distribution. The dictionary for which I was responsible emphasised in my mind the enormous variety in sizes and distribution of families, genera, and species. All seemed a nearly hopeless confusion. Yet this is not nature's way; her work is always beautifully planned, as Darwin had already shown in the wonderful theory of evolution, whose establishment as a working guide through the intricacies of life was due to him, and gave him his lasting claim to fame. Without a mechanism to operate it, however, few were prepared to make so great a break with what had gone before. In natural selection, Darwin produced an apparently serviceable mechanism, which was so familiar to every one that it had a great appeal, soon resulting in the establishment of evolution in an unassailable position. But during the last fifty years there has always been an underlying feeling that all was not well with natural selection. The writer, though brought up in its strictest school, soon began to feel very doubtful about it, and a few years of experience with tropical vegetation made him realise that selection could not be responsible for evolution. From that time onwards he has never ceased to bring up objections to it, though rarely has any answer to these been attempted. Selection is now no longer required as a support for evolution, and must take its proper place, which is one of great importance, as has been pointed out here and elsewhere.

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