Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Book essay, in which he gives
the results of the MOST EXTENSIVE inquiries from all eminent surgeons
in Germany, and all are unanimous about non-growth of extra digits after
amputation. They explain some apparent cases, as Paget did to me. By the
way, I struck out of my second edition a quotation from Sir J. Simpson
about re-growth in the womb, as Paget demurred, and as I could not say
how a rudiment of a limb due to any cause could be distinguished from
an imperfect re-growth. Two or three days ago I had another letter from
Germany from a good naturalist, Dr. Kollmann (274/3. Dr. Kollmann was
Secretary of the Anthropologische Gesellschaft of Munich, in which
Society took place the discussion referred to in "Variation of Animals
and Plants," I., 459, as originating Darwin's doubts on the whole
question. The fresh evidence adduced by Kollmann as to the normal
occurrence of a rudimentary sixth digit in Batrachians is Borus' paper,
"Die sechste Zehe der Anuren" in "Morpholog. Jahrbuch," Bd. I., page
435. On this subject see Letter 178.), saying he was sorry that I
had given up atavism and extra digits, and telling me of new and good
evidence of rudiments of a rudimentary sixth digit in Batrachians (which
I had myself seen, but given up owing to Gegenbaur's views); but, with
re-growth failing me, I could not uphold my old notion.
LETTER 275. TO G.J. ROMANES.
(275/1. Mr. Romanes' reply to this letter is printed in his "Life and
Letters," page 93, where by an oversight it is dated 1880-81.)
H. Wedgwood, Esq., Hopedene, Dorking, May 29th [1876].
As you are interested in pangenesis, and will some day, I hope, convert
an "airy nothing" into a substantial theory, I send by this post
an essay by Hackel (275/2. "Die Perigenesis der Plastidule oder die
Wellenzeugung der Lebenstheilchen," 79 pages. Berlin, 1876.) attacking
Pan. and substituting a molecular hypothesis. If I understand his views
rightly, he would say that with a bird which strengthened its wings by
use, the formative protoplasm of the strengthened parts became changed,
and its molecular vibrations consequently changed, and that these
vibrations are transmitted throughout the whole frame of the bird,
and affect the sexual elements in such a manner that the wings of the
offspring are developed in a like strengthened manner. I imagine he
would say, in cases like those of Lord Morton's mare (275/3. A
nearly pure-bred Arabian chestnut mare bore a hybrid to a quagga, and
subsequently produced two striped colts by a black Arabian horse: see
"Animals and Plants," I., page 403. The case was originally described
in the "Philosophical Transactions," 1821, page 20. For an account of
recent work bearing on this question, see article on "Zebras, Horses,
and Hybrids," in the "Quarterly Review," October 1899. See Letter 235.),
that the vibrations from the protoplasm, or "plasson," of the seminal
fluid of the zebra set plasson vibrating in the mare; and that these
vibrations continued until the hair of the second colt was formed, and
which consequently became barred like that of a zebra. How he explains
reversion to a remote ancestor, I know not. Perhaps I have misunderstood
him, though I have skimmed the whole with some care. He lays much stress
on inheritance being a form of unconscious memory, but how far this is
part of his molecular vibration, I do not understand. His views make
nothing clearer to me; but this may be my fault. No one, I presume,
would doubt about molecular movements of some kind. His essay is clever
and striking. If you read it (but you must not on my account), I should
much like to hear your judgment, and you can return it at any time. The
blue lines are Hackel's to call my attention.
We have come here for rest for me, which I have much needed; and shall
remain here for about ten days more, and then home to work, which is
my sole pleasure in life. I hope your splendid Medusa work and your
experiments on pangenesis are going on well. I heard from my son Frank
yesterday that he was feverish with a cold, and could not dine with the
physiologists, which I am very sorry for, as I should have heard what
they think about the new Bill. I see that you are one of the secretaries
to this young Society.
LETTER 276. TO H.N. MOSELEY. Down, November 22nd [1876].
It is very kind of you to send me the Japanese books, which are
extremely curious and amusing. My son Frank is away, but I am sure he
will be much obliged for the two papers which you have sent him.
Thanks, also, for your interesting note. It is a pity that Peripatus
(276/1. Moseley "On the Structure and Development of Peripatus capensis"
("Phil. Trans. R. Soc." Volume 164, page 757, 1874). "When suddenly
handled or irritated, they (i.e. Peripatus) shoot out fine threads of a
remarkably viscid and tenacious milky fluid... projected from the tips
of the oral papillae" (page 759).) is so stupid as to spit out the
viscid matter at the wrong end of its body; it would have been beautiful
thus to have explained the origin of the spider's web.
LETTER 277. NAPHTALI LEWY TO CHARLES DARWIN.
(277/1. The following letter refers to a book, "Toledoth Adam," written
by a learned Jew with the object of convincing his co-religionists of
the truth of the theory of evolution. The translation we owe to the
late Henry Bradshaw, University Librarian at Cambridge. The book is
unfortunately no longer to be found in Mr. Darwin's library.)
[1876].
To the Lord, the Prince, who "stands for an ensign of the people" (Isa.
xi. 10), the Investigator of the generation, the "bright son of the
morning" (Isa. xiv. 12), Charles Darwin, may he live long!
"From the rising of the sun and from the west" (Isa. xlv. 6) all the
nations know concerning the Torah (Theory) (277/2. Lit., instruction.
The Torah is the Pentateuch, strictly speaking, the source of all
knowledge.) which has "proceeded from thee for a light of the people"
(Isa. li. 4), and the nations "hear and say, It is truth" (Isa. xliii.
9). But with "the portion of my people" (Jer. x. 16), Jacob, "the lot
of my inheritance" (Deut. xxxii. 9), it is not so. This nation, "the
ancient people" (Isa. xliv. 7), which "remembers the former things and
considers the things of old (Isa. xliii. 18), "knows not, neither doth
it understand" (Psalm lxxxii. 5), that by thy Torah (instruction or
theory) thou hast thrown light upon their Torah (the Law), and that the
eyes of the Hebrews (277/3. One letter in this word changed would make
the word "blind," which is what Isaiah uses in the passage alluded to.)
"can now see out of obscurity and out of darkness" (Isa. xxix. 18).
Therefore "I arose" (Judges v. 7) and wrote this book, "Toledoth Adam"
("the generations of man," Gen. v. 1), to teach the children of my
people, the seed of Jacob, the Torah (instruction) which thou hast given
for an inheritance to all the nations of the earth.
And I have "proceeded to do a marvellous work among this people, even a
marvellous work and a wonder" (Isa. xxix. 14), enabling |