Initiative in Evolution

one follows the advice of Henri Poincaré, who lays down cer

ose which can be used several times,

ave a chance of recur

acts, and accordingly our first

hich the rule established stands the

a dust heap for their intrinsic value. But one knows that before now among a good deal of débris a rusty key has been found whic

llows: a large number of related phenomena are chosen, and the more prominent of these are observed and described. Keeping in mind the two plain issues laid down, the origin of initial modifications and their transmission, I have selected the facts because, especially such as those of the hair, they are very simple, of wide distribu-tion in animals well known to us, such as the domestic hors

pret nature rather than bully and slight her, and whatever anointed king may claim sovereignty over it the humble fact cannot be denied that “whatever phenomenon is, is.”40 Again I would refer to Howes’ inspiring note: “We live by ideas; we advance by a knowledge of the facts; content to discover the meaning of phenomena, since the nature of things will be for ever beyond our grasp.”41 The facts adduced are simple, have a chance of recurring and are widely distributed among multicellular animals—the botanists and plants can very well take care of themselves. I must once more state that I am attaching to the considered facts a value of a somewhat unusual kind—their intrinsic

es

em would be required, such as I have given to those of hair-direction in a book published in 1903 on Direction of Hair in Anima

ns, that instances of these in well-known animals are produced before our eyes by ascertainable mechanical stimuli, and that

ced

ceedings may be

tion of sel

f these are produced in the

r and others there is to be seen an orderly evolution

esis as to th

ossible cause of these, and of co

ion of the Lamarckian inter

ndel or Gallio groan aloud: “This intolerable amount of sack,” I pr