Can Sir Wyville Thomson name any one who has said that the evolution of species depends only on Natural Selection?
As far as concerns myself, I believe that no one has brought forward so many observations on the effects of the use and disuse of parts, as I have done in my "Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication"; and these observations were made for this special object.

I have likewise there adduced a considerable body of facts, showing the direct action of external conditions on organisms; though no doubt since my books were published much has been learnt on this head.
If Sir Wyville Thomson were to visit the yard of a breeder, and saw all his cattle or sheep almost absolutely true--that is, closely similar, he would exclaim: "Sir, I see here no extreme variation; nor can I find any support to the belief that you have followed the principle of selection in the breeding of your animals." From what I formerly saw of breeders, I have no doubt that the man thus rebuked would have smiled and said not a word.

If he had afterwards told the story to other breeders, I greatly fear that they would have used emphatic but irreverent language about naturalists.
(301/2.

The following is the passage omitted by the advice of Huxley: see his "Life and Letters," II., page 14:-- "Perhaps it would have been wiser on my part to have remained quite silent, like the breeder; for, as Prof.Sedgwick remarked many years ago, in reference to the poor old Dean of York, who was never weary of inveighing against geologists, a man who talks about what he does not in the least understand, is invulnerable.") LETTER 302.

TO G.J.