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