On The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin Chapter 7 Page 30

of reason and memory is left to the reader, who may wish to weigh the evidence on both sides. When discussing special cases, Mr. Mivart passes over the effects of the increased use and disuse of parts, which I have always maintained to be highly important, and have treated in my “Variation under Domestication” at greater length than, as I believe, any other writer.

He likewise often assumes that I attribute nothing to variation, independently of natural selection, whereas in the work just referred to I have collected a greater number of well-established cases than can be found in any other work known to me. My judgment may not be trustworthy, but after reading with care Mr. Mivart’s book, and comparing each section with what I have said on the same head, I never before felt so strongly convinced of the