Alfred Russel Wallace: Letters and Reminiscences, 2. köideCassell, Limited, 1916 - 507 pages |
Other editions - View all
Alfred Russel Wallace: Letters and Reminiscences, 2. köide Alfred Russel Wallace Limited preview - 2016 |
Common terms and phrases
A. R. WALLACE adaptation Alfred Russel Alfred Russel Wallace animals argument Aru Islands Barrett believe birds British Association Broadstone character colour Darwin Dear Sir Dorset Essays evidence evolution existence explain facts faithfully February 12 Fortnightly Rev Frith Hill garden give glad Godalming HERBERT SPENCER heredity Hooker Huxley important insects interest islands Journ labour Land Nationalisation lecture letter living Lombok LYELL Malay Archipelago matter mean MELDOLA mind MISS BUCKLEY Natural Selection naturalist never Old Orchard Origin of Species paper Parkstone perhaps phenomena physical plants POULTON Poulton,-I Proc Prof proof Purbeck Hills question race refer reply Review Romanes Royal scientific seems sincerely SIR W. T. THISELTON-DYER social Society Spiritualism spiritualistic T. H. HUXLEY theory things thought tion truly variations Wallace,-I Wallace's Weismann's whole Wimborne wonderful writing wrote zoological
Popular passages
Page 80 - ... trace.) The formation of a strong variety or species I look at as almost wholly due to the selection of what may be incorrectly called chance variations or variability. "This power of selection stands in the most direct relation to time, and in the state of nature can be only excessively slow.
Page 144 - That terrible indictment was doubly underscored in his MS. What, in his mature judgment, were the causes and remedies ? He set them out in this order: 1. The evils are due, broadly and generally, to our living under a system of universal competition for the means of existence, the remedy for which is equally universal co-operation. 2. It may also be defined as a system of economic antagonism, as of enemies, the remedy being a system of economic brotherhood, as of a great family, or of friends. 3...
Page 139 - When a country is well governed, poverty and a mean condition are things to be ashamed of. When a country is ill governed, riches and honour are things to be ashamed of.
Page 184 - Thus disbelief crept over me at a very slow rate, but was at last complete. The rate was so slow that I felt no distress, and have never since doubted even for a single second that my conclusion was correct.
Page 218 - Eeally the greatest kindness my friends can do me is to leave me in peaceful obscurity, for I have lived so secluded a life that I am more and more disinclined to crowds of any kind.
Page 1 - ... to show this feeling. As a proof how little advance I had made on the subject, I may mention that though I had been collecting facts on the colouring, and other sexual differences in mammals, your explanation with respect to the females had not occurred to me. I am surprised at my own stupidity, but I have long recognised how much clearer and deeper your insight into matters is than mine.
Page 95 - ... to serve certain definite purposes in each living organism. I have dwelt on this in my chapter on "The Mystery of the Cell." Now I have been unable to find any attempt by any biologist or physiologist to grapple with this problem. One and all, they shirk it, or simply state it to be insoluble. It is here that I state guidance and organising power are essential. My little physiological parable or allegory (p. 296) I think sets forth the difficulty fairly, though by no means adequately, yet not...
Page 94 - ... guiding mind and organising power. Hardly one of my critics (I think absolutely not one) has noticed the distinction I have tried and intended to draw between Evolution on the one hand, and the fundamental powers and properties of Life — growth, assimilation, reproduction, heredity, etc., — on the other. In Evolution I recognise the action of Natural Selection as universal and capable of explaining all the facts of the continuous development of species from species, '
Page 17 - Although I maintain, and even enforce, my differences from some of Darwin's views, my whole work tends forcibly to illustrate the overwhelming importance of Natural Selection over all other agencies in the production of new species. I thus take up Darwin's earlier position, from which he somewhat receded in the later editions of his works, on account of criticisms and objections which I have endeavoured to show are unsound. Even in rejecting that phase of sexual selection depending on female choice,...
Page 33 - I heartily enjoy it, and believe that you have brushed away more cobwebs that have obscured the subject than any other...