Your obedient servant,
A. M.
Darwin on Species
[From the _Press_, March 14th, 1863.]
To the Editor of the _Press_.
Sir—A correspondent signing himself “A. M.” in the issue of February 21st
says:—“Will the writer (of an article on barrel-organs) refer to anything
bearing upon natural selection and the struggle for existence in Dr.
Darwin’s work?” This is one of the trade forms by which writers imply
that there is no such passage, and yet leave a loophole if they are
proved wrong. I will, however, furnish him with a passage from the notes
of Darwin’s _Botanic Garden_:—
“I am acquainted with a philosopher who, contemplating this subject,
thinks it not impossible that the first insects were anthers or stigmas
of flowers, which had by some means loosed themselves from their parent
plant; and that many insects have gradually in long process of time been
formed from these, some acquiring wings, others fins, and others claws,
from their ceaseless efforts to procure their food or to secure
themselves from injury. The anthers or stigmas are therefore separate
beings.”
This passage contains the germ of Mr. Charles Darwin’s theory of the
origin of species by natural selection:—
“Analogy would lead me to the belief that all animals and plants have
descended from one prototype.”