Page - 11 - in The Origin of Species

HISTORICAL SKETCH U not until 1828 that he published his conviction that the same forms have not been perpetuated since the origin of all things. Geoffroy seems to have relied chiefly on the condi- tion of life, or the "monde ambiant" as the cause of change. He was cautious in drawing conclusions, and did not believe that existing species are now undergoing modification; and, as his son adds, "C'est done un probleme a reserver entierement a I'avenir, suppose meme que I'avenir doive avoir prise sur lui." In 1813, Dr. W. C. Wells read before the Royal Society 'An Account of a White female, part of whose skin re- sembles that of a Negro' ; but his paper was not published until his famous *Two Essays upon Dew and Single Vision' appeared in 1818. In this paper he distinctly recognises the principle of natural selection, and this is the first recognition which has been indicated ; but he applies it only to the races of man, and to certain characters alone. After remarking that negroes and mulattoes enjoy an immunity from certain trop- ical diseases, he observes, firstly, that all animals tend to vary in some degree, and, secondly, that agriculturists improve their domesticated animals by selection ; and then, he adds, but what is done in this latter case ''by art, seems to be done with equal efficacy, though more slowly, by nature, in the formation of varieties of mankind, fitted for the country which they inhabit. Of the accidental varieties of man, which would occur among the first few and scattered inhab- itants of the middle regions of Africa, some one would be better fitted than the others to bear the diseases of the coun- try. This race would consequently multiply, while the others would decrease; not only from their inability to sustain the attacks of disease, but from their incapacity of contending with their more vigorous neighbours. The colour of this vigorous race I take for granted, from what has been already said, would be dark. But the same disposition to form varie- ties still existing, a darker and a darker race would in the course of time occur : and as the darkest would be the best fitted for the climate, this would at length become the most prevalent, if not the only race, in the particular country in which it had originated." He then extends these same views to the white inhabitants of colder climates. I am indebted