The foundations of The origin of species : a sketch written in 1842 / edited by Francis Darwin.
- Charles Darwin
- Date:
- 1909
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The foundations of The origin of species : a sketch written in 1842 / edited by Francis Darwin. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![forms descending from one common type1. I speak of the variation of the existing great divisions of the organised kingdom, how far I would go, hereafter to be seen. Before considering whether (there) be any natural means of selection, and secondly (which forms the 2nd Part of this sketch) the far more important point whether the characters and relations of animated (things) are such as favour the idea of wild species being races (?) descended from a com¬ mon stock, as the varieties of potato or dahlia or cattle having so descended, let us consider probable character of [selected races] wild varieties. Natural Selection. De Candolle’s war of nature,— seeing contented face of nature,—may be well at first doubted; we see it on borders of perpetual cold2. But considering the enormous geometrical power of increase in every organism and as (?) every country, in ordinary cases (countries) must be stocked to full extent, reflection will show that this is the case. Malthus on man,—in animals no moral [check] restraint (?)—they breed in time of year when provision most abundant, or season most favourable, every country has its seasons,—calculate robins,—oscillating from years of destruction3. If proof were wanted let any singular change of climate (occur) here (?), how astoundingly some tribes (?) increase, also introduced animals4, the 1 Note in the original. “Good place to introduce, saying reasons hereafter to be given, how far I extend theory, say to all mammalia— reasons growing weaker and weaker.” 2 See Origin, Ed. i. pp. 62, 63, vi. p. 77, where similar reference is made to De Candolle ; for Malthus see Origin, p. 5. 3 This may possibly refer to the amount of destruction going on. See Origin, Ed. i. p. 68, vi. p. 84, where there is an estimate of a later date as to death-rate of birds in winter. “ Calculate robins ” probably refers to a calculation of the rate of increase of birds under favourable conditions. 4 In the Origin, Ed. i. pp. 64, 65, vi. p. 80, he instances cattle and horses and certain plants in S. America and American species of plants in India, and further on, as unexpected effects of changed conditions, the enclosure of a heath, and the relation between the fertilisation of clover and the presence of cats (Origin, Ed. i. p. 74, vi. p. 91).](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b31351761_0041.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
