darwin and modern science-第1节

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Darwin　and　Modern　Science

by　A。C。　Seward


ESSAYS　IN　COMMEMORATION　OF　THE　CENTENARY　OF　THE　BIRTH　OF　CHARLES　DARWIN　AND
OF　THE　FIFTIETH　ANNIVERSARY　OF　THE　PUBLICATION　OF　〃THE　ORIGIN　OF　SPECIES〃




〃My　success　as　a　man　of　science；　whatever　this　may　have　amounted　to；　has　been　determined；　as　far　as　I　can　judge；　by　complex　and　diversified　mental　qualities　and　conditions。　　Of　these；　the　most　important　have　beenthe　love　of　scienceunbounded　patience　in　long　reflecting　over　any　subject　industry　in　observing　and　collecting　factsand　a　fair　share　of　invention　as　well　as　of　common　sense。　　With　such　moderate　abilities　as　I　possess；　it　is　truly　surprising　that　I　should　have　influenced　to　a　considerable　extent　the　belief　of　scientific　men　on　some　important　points。〃

Autobiography　（1881）；　〃The　Life　and　Letters　of　Charles　Darwin〃；　Vol。　1。　page　107。


PREFACE

At　the　suggestion　of　the　Cambridge　Philosophical　Society；　the　Syndics　of　the　University　Press　decided　in　March；　1908；　to　arrange　for　the　publication　of　a　series　of　Essays　in　commemoration　of　the　Centenary　of　the　birth　of　Charles　Darwin　and　of　the　Fiftieth　anniversary　of　the　publication　of　〃The　Origin　of　Species〃。　　The　preliminary　arrangements　were　made　by　a　committee　consisting　of　the　following　representatives　of　the　Council　of　the　Philosophical　Society　and　of　the　Press　Syndicate：　　Dr　H。K。　Anderson；　Prof。　Bateson；　Mr　Francis　Darwin；　Dr　Hobson；　Dr　Marr；　Prof。　Sedgwick；　Mr　David　Sharp；　Mr　Shipley；　Prof。　Sorley；　Prof。　Seward。　　In　the　course　of　the　preparation　of　the　volume；　the　original　scheme　and　list　of　authors　have　been　modified：　　a　few　of　those　invited　to　contribute　essays　were；　for　various　reasons；　unable　to　do　so；　and　some　alterations　have　been　made　in　the　titles　of　articles。　　For　the　selection　of　authors　and　for　the　choice　of　subjects；　the　committee　are　mainly　responsible；　but　for　such　share　of　the　work　in　the　preparation　of　the　volume　as　usually　falls　to　the　lot　of　an　editor　I　accept　full　responsibility。

Authors　were　asked　to　address　themselves　primarily　to　the　educated　layman　rather　than　to　the　expert。　　It　was　hoped　that　the　publication　of　the　essays　would　serve　the　double　purpose　of　illustrating　the　far…reaching　influence　of　Darwin's　work　on　the　progress　of　knowledge　and　the　present　attitude　of　original　investigators　and　thinkers　towards　the　views　embodied　in　Darwin's　works。

In　regard　to　the　interpretation　of　a　passage　in　〃The　Origin　of　Species〃　quoted　by　Hugo　de　Vries；　it　seemed　advisable　to　add　an　editorial　footnote；　but；　with　this　exception；　I　have　not　felt　it　necessary　to　record　any　opinion　on　views　stated　in　the　essays。

In　reading　the　essays　in　proof　I　have　availed　myself　freely　of　the　willing　assistance　of　several　Cambridge　friends；　among　whom　I　wish　more　especially　to　thank　Mr　Francis　Darwin　for　the　active　interest　he　has　taken　in　the　preparation　of　the　volume。　　Mrs　J。A。　Thomson　kindly　undertook　the　translation　of　the　essays　by　Prof。　Weismann　and　Prof。　Schwalbe；　Mrs　James　Ward　was　good　enough　to　assist　me　by　translating　Prof。　Bougle's　article　on　Sociology；　and　to　Mr　McCabe　I　am　indebted　for　the　translation　of　the　essay　by　Prof。　Haeckel。　　For　the　translation　of　the　botanical　articles　by　Prof。　Goebel；　Prof。　Klebs　and　Prof。　Strasburger；　I　am　responsible；　in　the　revision　of　the　translation　of　Prof。　Strasburger's　essay　Madame　Errera　of　Brussels　rendered　valuable　help。　　Mr　Wright；　the　Secretary　of　the　Press　Syndicate；　and　Mr　Waller；　the　Assistant　Secretary；　have　cordially　cooperated　with　me　in　my　editorial　work；　nor　can　I　omit　to　thank　the　readers　of　the　University　Press　for　keeping　watchful　eyes　on　my　shortcomings　in　the　correction　of　proofs。

The　two　portraits　of　Darwin　are　reproduced　by　permission　of　Messrs　Maull　and　Fox　and　Messrs　Elliott　and　Fry。　　The　photogravure　of　the　study　at　Down　is　reproduced　from　an　etching　by　Mr　Axel　Haig；　lent　by　Mr　Francis　Darwin；　the　coloured　plate　illustrating　Prof。　Weismann's　essay　was　originally　published　by　him　in　his　〃Vortrage　uber　Descendenztheorie〃　which　afterwards　appeared　（1904）　in　English　under　the　title　〃The　Evolution　Theory〃。　　Copies　of　this　plate　were　supplied　by　Messrs　Fischer　of　Jena。

The　Syndics　of　the　University　Press　have　agreed；　in　the　event　of　this　volume　being　a　financial　success；　to　hand　over　the　profits　to　a　University　fund　for　the　endowment　of　biological　research。

It　is　clearly　impossible　to　express　adequately　in　a　single　volume　of　Essays　the　influence　of　Darwin's　contributions　to　knowledge　on　the　subsequent　progress　of　scientific　inquiry。　　As　Huxley　said　in　1885：　　〃Whatever　be　the　ultimate　verdict　of　posterity　upon　this　or　that　opinion　which　Mr　Darwin　has　propounded；　whatever　adumbrations　or　anticipations　of　his　doctrines　may　be　found　in　the　writings　of　his　predecessors；　the　broad　fact　remains　that；　since　the　publication　and　by　reason　of　the　publication　of　〃The　Origin　of　Species〃　the　fundamental　conceptions　and　the　aims　of　the　students　of　living　Nature　have　been　completely　changed。。。But　the　impulse　thus　given　to　scientific　thought　rapidly　spread　beyond　the　ordinarily　recognised　limits　of　Biology。　　Psychology；　Ethics；　Cosmology　were　stirred　to　their　foundations；　and　'The　Origin　of　Species'　proved　itself　to　be　the　fixed　point　which　the　general　doctrine　needed　in　order　to　move　the　world。〃

In　the　contributions　to　this　Memorial　Volume；　some　of　the　authors　have　more　especially　concerned　themselves　with　the　results　achieved　by　Darwin's　own　work；　while　others　pass　in　review　the　progress　of　research　on　lines　which；　though　unknown　or　but　little　followed　in　his　day；　are　the　direct　outcome　of　his　work。

The　divergence　of　views　among　biologists　in　regard　to　the　origin　of　species　and　as　to　the　most　promising　directions　in　which　to　seek　for　truth　is　illustrated　by　the　different　opinions　of　contributors。　　Whether　Darwin's　views　on　the　modus　operandi　of　evolutionary　forces　receive　further　confirmation　in　the　future；　or　whether　they　are　materially　modified；　in　no　way　affects　the　truth　of　the　statement　that；　by　employing　his　life　〃in　adding　a　little　to　Natural　Science；〃　he　revolutionised　the　world　of　thought。　　Darwin　wrote　in　1872　to　Alfred　Russel　Wallace：　　〃How　grand　is　the　onward　rush　of　science：　　it　is　enough　to　console　us　for　the　many　errors　which　we　have　committed；　and　for　our　efforts　being　overlaid　and　forgotten　in　the　mass　of　new　facts　and　new　views　which　are　daily　turning　up。〃　　In　the　onward　rush；　it　is　easy　for　students　convinced　of　the　correctness　of　their　own　views　and　equally　convinced　of　the　falsity　of　those　of　their　fellow…　workers　to　forget　the　lessons　of　Darwin's　life。　　In　his　autobiographical　sketch；　he　tells　us；　〃I　have　steadily　endeavoured　to　keep　my　mind　free　so　as　to　give　up　any　hypothesis；　however　much　beloved。。。as　soon　as　facts　are　shown　to　be　opposed　to　it。〃　　Writing　to　Mr　J。　Scott；　he　says；　〃It　is　a　golden　rule；　which　I　try　to　follow；　to　put　every　fact　which　is　opposed　to　one's　preconceived　opinion　in　the　strongest　light。　　Absolute　accuracy　is　the　hardest　merit　to　attain；　and　the　highest　merit。　　Any　deviation　is　ruin。〃

He　acted　strictly　in　accordance　with　his　determination　expressed　in　a　letter　to　Lyell　in　1844；　〃I　shall　keep　out　of　controversy；　and　just　give　my　own　facts。〃　　As　was　said　of　another　son　of　Cambridge；　Sir　George　Stokes；　〃He　would　no　more　have　thought　of　disputing　about　priority；　or　the　authorship　of　an　idea；　than　of　writing　a　report　for　a　company　promoter。〃　　Darwin's　life　affords　a　striking　confirmation　of　the　truth　of　Hazlitt's　aphorism；　〃Where　the　pursuit　of　truth　has　been　the　habitual　study　of　any　man's　life；　the　love　of　truth　will　be　his　ruling　passion。〃　　Great　as　was　the　intellect　of　Darwin；　his　character；　as　Huxley　wrote；　was　even　nobler　than　his　intellect。

A。C。　SEWARD。

Botany　School；　Cambridge；　March　20；　1909。


CONTENTS

I。　　INTRODUCTORY　LETTER　TO　THE　EDITOR　from　SIR　JOSEPH　DALTON　HOOKER；　O。M。

II。　　DARWIN'S　PREDECESSORS：　　　J。　ARTHUR　THOMSON；　Professor　of　Natural　History　in　the　University　of　Aberdeen。

III。　　THE　SELECTION　THEORY：　　　AUGUST　WEISMANN；　Professor　of　Zoology　in　the　University　of　Freiburg　（Baden）。

IV。　　VARIATION：　　　HUGO　DE　VRIES；　Professor　of　Botany　in　the　University　of　Amsterdam。

V。　　HEREDITY　AND　VARIATION　IN　MODERN　LIGHTS：　　　W。　BATESON；　Professor　of　Biology　in　the　University　of　Cambridge。

VI。　　THE　MINUTE　STRUCTURE　OF　CELLS　IN　RELATION　TO　HEREDITY：　　　EDUARD　STRASBURGER；　Professor　of　Botany　in　the　University　of　Bonn。

VII。　　〃THE　DESCENT　OF　MAN〃：　　　G。　SCHWALBE；　Professor　of　Anatomy　in　the　University　of　Strassburg。

VIII。　　CHARLES　DARWIN　AS　AN　ANTHROPOLOGIST：　　　ERNST　HAECKEL；　Professor　of　Zoology　in　the　University　of　Jena。

IX。　　SOME　PRIMITIVE　THEORIES　OF　THE　ORIGIN　OF　MAN：　　　J。G。　FRAZER；　Fellow　of　Trinity　College；　Cambridge。

X。　　THE　INFLUENCE　OF　DARWIN　ON　THE　STUDY　OF　ANIMAL　EMBRYOLOGY：　　　A。　SEDGWICK；　Professor　of　Zoology　and　Comparative　Anatomy　in　the　University　of　Cambridge。

XI。　　THE　PALAEONTOLOGICAL　RECORD。　　I。　ANIMALS：　　　W。B。　SCOTT；　Professor　of　Geology　in　the　University　of　Princeton。

XII。　　THE　PALAEONTOLOGICAL　RECORD。　　II。　PLANTS：　　　D。H。　SCOTT；　President　of　the　Linnean　Society　of　London。

XIII。　　THE　INFLUENCE　OF　ENVIRONMENT　ON　THE　FORMS　OF　PLANTS：　　　GEORG　KLEBS；　Professor　of　Botany　in　the　University　of　Heid