The modern
scientific morphologists seem so wholly occupied in tracing out the
mechanism of organisms that they hardly seem to appreciate the
overwhelming marvel of the powers of life, which result in such
infinitely varied structures and such strange habits and so-called
instincts. The older I grow the more marvellous seem to me the mere
variety of form and habit in plants and animals, and the unerring
certitude with which from a minute germ the whole complex organism is
built up, true to the type of its kind in all the infinitude of details!
It is this which gives such a charm to the watching of plants
growing, and of kittens so rapidly developing their senses and
habitudes!...--Yours very faithfully,
ALFRED R. WALLACE.
* * * * *
TO PROF. POULTON
_Parkstone, Dorset. February 1, 1893._
My dear Poulton,--Thanks for the separate copy of your great paper on
colours of larva, pupa, etc.[21] I have read your conclusions and looked
over some of the experiments, and think you have now pretty well settled
that question.
I am reading through the new volume of the Life of Darwin, and am struck
with the curious example his own case affords of non-heredity of
acquired variations. He expresses his constant dread--one of the
troubles of his life--that his children would inherit his bad health.
It seems pretty clear, from what F. Darwin says in the new edition, that
Darwin's constant nervous stomach irritation was caused by his five
years sea-sickness.
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