memory； and an extension of memory from one generation to another；
then the repetition of its development by any embryo thus becomes
only the repetition of a lesson learned by rote； and； as I have
elsewhere said； our view of life is simplified by finding that it is
no longer an equation of； say； a hundred unknown quantities； but of
ninety…nine only； inasmuch as two of the unknown quantities prove to
be substantially identical。 In this case the inheritance of
acquired characteristics cannot be disputed； for it is postulated in
the theory that each embryo takes note of； remembers and is guided
by the profounder impressions made upon it while in the persons of
its parents； between its present and last preceding development。 To
maintain this is to maintain use and disuse to be the main factors
throughout organic development； to deny it is to deny that use and
disuse can have any conceivable effect。 For the detailed reasons
which led me to my own conclusions I must refer the reader to my
books； 〃Life and Habit〃 ｛42｝ and 〃Unconscious Memory；〃 ｛42｝ the
conclusions of which have been often adopted； but never； that I have
seen； disputed。 A brief resume of the leading points in the
argument is all that space will here allow me to give。
We have seen that it is a first requirement of heredity that there
shall be physical continuity between parents and offspring。 This
holds good with memory。 There must be continued identity between
the person remembering and the person to whom the thing that is
remembered happened。 We cannot remember things that happened to
some one else； and in our absence。 We can only remember having
heard of them。 We have seen； however； that there is as much bona…
fide sameness of personality between parents and offspring up to the
time at which the offspring quits the parent's body； as there is
between the different states of the parent himself at any two
consecutive moments； the offspring therefore； being one and the same
person with its progenitors until it quits them； can be held to
remember what happened to them within； of course； the limitations to
which all memory is subject； as much as the progenitors can remember
what happened earlier to themselves。 Whether it does so remember
can only be settled by observing whether it acts as living beings
commonly do when they are acting under guidance of memory。 I will
endeavour to show that； though heredity and habit based on memory go
about in different dresses； yet if we catch them separatelyfor
they are never seen togetherand strip them there is not a mole nor
strawberry…mark； nor trick nor leer of the one； but we find it in
the other also。
What are the moles and strawberry…marks of habitual action； or
actions remembered and thus repeated？ First； the more often we
repeat them the more easily and unconsciously we do them。 Look at
reading； writing； walking； talking； playing the piano； &c。； the
longer we have practised any one of these acquired habits； the more
easily； automatically and unconsciously； we perform it。 Look； on
the other hand； broadly； at the three points to which I called
attention in 〃Life and Habit〃：…
I。 That we are most conscious of and have most control over such
habits as speech； the upright position； the arts and scienceswhich
are acquisitions peculiar to the human race； always acquired after
birth； and not common to ourselves and any ancestor who had not
become entirely human。
II。 That we are less conscious of and have less control over eating
and drinking ＇provided the food be normal＇； swallowing； breathing；
seeing； and hearingwhich were acquisitions of our prehuman
ancestry； and for which we had provided ourselves with all the
necessary apparatus before we saw light； but which are still；
geologically speaking； recent。
III。 That we are most unconscious of and have least control over
our digestion and circulationpowers possessed even by our
invertebrate ancestry； and； geologically speaking； of extreme
antiquity。
I have put the foregoing very broadly； but enough is given to show
the reader the gist of the argument。 Let it be noted that
disturbance and departure； to any serious extent； from normal
practice tends to induce resumption of consciousness even in the
case of such old habits as breathing； seeing； and hearing； digestion
and the circulation of the blood。 So it is with habitual actions in
general。 Let a player be never so proficient on any instrument； he
will be put out if the normal conditions under which he plays are
too widely departed from； and will then do consciously； if indeed he
can do it at all； what he had hitherto been doing unconsciously。 It
is an axiom as regards actions acquired after birth； that we never
do them automatically save as the result of long practice； the
stages in the case of any acquired facility； the inception of which
we have been able to watch； have invariably been from a nothingness
of ignorant impotence to a little somethingness of highly self…
conscious； arduous performance； and thence to the
unselfconsciousness of easy mastery。 I saw one year a poor blind
lad of about eighteen sitting on a wall by the wayside at Varese；
playing the concertina with his whole body； and snorting like a
child。 The next year the boy no longer snorted； and he played with
his fingers only； the year after that he seemed hardly to know
whether he was playing or not； it came so easily to him。 I know no
exception to this rule。 Where is the intricate and at one time
difficult art in which perfect automatic ease has been reached
except as the result of long practice？ If； then； wherever we can
trace the development of automatism we find it to have taken this
course； is it not most reasonable to infer that it has taken the
same even when it has risen in regions that are beyond our ken？
Ought we not； whenever we see a difficult action performed；
automatically to suspect antecedent practice？ Granted that without
the considerations in regard to identity presented above it would
not have been easy to see where a baby of a day old could have had
the practice which enables it to do as much as it does
unconsciously； but even without these considerations it would have
been more easy to suppose that the necessary opportunities had not
been wanting； than that the easy performance could have been gained
without practice and memory。
When I wrote 〃Life and Habit〃 （originally published in 1877） I said
in slightly different words：…
〃Shall we say that a baby of a day old sucks （which involves the
whole principle of the pump and hence a profound practical knowledge
of the laws of pneumatics and hydrostatics）； digests； oxygenises its
bloodmillions of years before any one had discovered oxygensees
and hears； operations that involve an unconscious knowledge of the
facts concerning optics and acoustics compared with which the
conscious discoveries of Newton are insignificantshall we say that
a baby can do all these things at once； doing them so well and so
regularly without being even able to give them attention； and yet
without mistake； and shall we also say at the same time that it has
not learnt to do them； and never did them before？
〃Such an assertion would contradict the whole experience of
mankind。〃
I have met with nothing during the thirteen years since the
foregoing was published that has given me any qualms about its
soundness。 From the point of view of the law courts and everyday
life it is； of course； nonsense； but in the kingdom of thought； as
in that of heaven； there are many mansions； and what would be
extravagance in the cottage or farmhouse； as it were； of daily
practice； is but common decency in the palace of high philosophy；
wherein dwells evolution。 If we leave evolution alone； we may stick
to common practice and the law courts； touch evolution and we are in
another world； not higher； not lower； but different as harmony from
counterpoint。 As； however； in the most absolute counterpoint there
is still harmony； and in the most absolute harmony still
counterpoint； so high philosophy should be still in touch with
common sense； and common sense with high philosophy。
The common…sense view of the matter to people who are not over…
curious and to whom time is money； will be that a baby is not a baby
until it is born； and that when born it should be born in wedlock。
Nevertheless； as a sop to high philosophy； every baby is allowed to
be the offspring of its father and mother。
The high…philosophy view of the matter is that every human being is
still but a fresh edition of the primordial cell with the latest
additions and corrections； there has been no leap nor break in
continuity anywhere； the man of to…day is the primordial cell of
millions of years ago as truly as he is the himself of yesterday； he
can only be denied to be the one on grounds that will prove him not
to be the other。 Every one is both himself and all his direct
ancestors and descendants as well； therefore； if we would be
logical； he is one also with all his cousins； no matter how distant；
for he and they are alike identical with the primordial cell； and we
have already noted it as an axiom that things whic