Post 01872
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Hence, also, we can see that when a plant or animal is placed in a new country amongst new competitors, though the climate may be exactly the same as in its former home, yet the conditions of its life will generally be changed in an essential manner. If we wished to increase its average numbers in its new home, we should have to modify it in a different way to what we should have done in its native country; for we should have to give it some advantage over a different set of competitors or enemies.
It is good thus to try in our imagination to give any form some advantage over another. Probably in no single instance should we know what to do, so as to succeed. It will convince us of our ignorance on the mutual relations of all organic beings; a conviction as necessary, as it seems to be difficult to acquire. All that we can do, is to keep steadily in mind that eachorganic being is striving to increase at a geometrical ratio; that each at some period of its life, during some season of the year, during each generation or at intervals, has to struggle for life, and to suffer great destruction. When we reflect on this struggle, we may console ourselves with the full belief, that the war of nature is not incessant, that no fear is felt, that death is generally prompt, and that the vigorous, the healthy, and the happy survive and multiply.
Natural Selection–its power compared with man’s selection–its power on characters of trifling importance–its power at all ages and on both sexes–Sexual Selection–On the generality of intercrosses between individuals of the same species–Circumstances favourable and unfavourable to Natural Selection, namely, intercrossing, isolation, number of individuals–Slow action–Extinction caused by Natural Selection–Divergence of Character, related to the diversity of inhabitants of any small area, and to naturalisation–Action of Natural Selection, through Divergence of Character and Extinction, on the descendants from a common parent–Explains the Grouping of all organic beings.