18 
But Mr. Darwin also says :— 
“ I do believe that Natural Selection will generally act very slowly, 
only at long intervals of time, and only on a few of the inhabitants 
of the same region.”—(Origin of Species, p. Sj.) 
“The doctrine of Natural Selection or the survival of the fittest 
. . . implies that when variations or individual differences of a 
beneficial nature happen to arise, these will be preserved ; but this 
will be effected only under certain favourable circumstances.”— 
(Origin of Species, p. 169.) 
Mr. Wallace says :— 
“ They (most people) do not see the constant and daily search after 
food, the failure to obtain which means weakness or death : the 
constant effort to escape enemies : the ever recurring struggle against 
the forces of nature. This daily and hourly struggle, this incessant 
warfare is nevertheless the very means by which much of the beauty 
and harmony and enjoyment of nature is produced, and also affords 
one of the most important elements in bringing about the origin of 
species.”—(Darwuiism. p. 14.) 
But he also says :— 
“Survival of the fittest or Natural Selection meaning simply that 
on the whole those die who are least fitted to maintain their 
existence.”—(Contributions. p. 302). 
Not only is there a difference of opinion as to whether 
the struggle for existence is continually going on, or in 
termittent in its action, but there is also a great difference 
of opinion as to its severity and hardship. To some it 
seems as if we always stood face to face with 
“ Nature, red in tooth and claw, 
With ravine;” 
while to others it seems as though life were on the whole 
well worth living even in the animal world. 
Mr. Wallace says :— 
“To most persons, nature appears calm, orderly, and peaceful. 
They see the birds singing on the trees, and insects hovering over