nature doesn’t jump (natura non facit saltum)
merijn Dietvorst
Legend sp. Var. sV.
species variation sub-variation
SpecImen LISt: sp.1 sp.2 sp.2b sp.3 sp.3b sp.4 sp.5
Adobe garamond pro bold Helvetica neue medium Helvetica neue medium poliphilus poliphilus Bembo FFJohannusg
We may safely conclude that very any of the most strongly-marked domestic varieties could not possibly live in a wild state.
It has been disputed at what period of life the causes of variability, whatever they may be, generally act; whether during the early or late period of development of the embryo, or at the instant of conception.
VArIAtIon under domeStIcAtIon the effects of variability are modified by various degrees of inheritance and of reversion Varia-bility is governed by many unknown laws. [...] the final result is thus rendered infinitely complex. In some cases, I do not doubt that the intercrossing of species, aboriginally distinct, has played an important part in the origin of our domestic productions. When in any country several domestic breeds have once been established, their occasional intercrossing, with the aid of selection, has, no doubt, largely aided in the formation of new sub-breeds; over all these causes of change I am convinced that the accumulative action of Selection, whether applied methodically and more quickly, or unconsciously and more slowly, but more efficiently, is by far the predominant power.
nAture doeSn’t Jump mdietvorst@home.nl
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Chapter 1
part one
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8 Breeders habitually speak of an animal’s organisation as something quite plastic, which they can model almost as they please. [...] It is the magician’s wand, by means of which he may summon into life whatever form and mould he pleases.
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Struggle For exiSteNce All that we can do, is to keep steadily in mind that each organic 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.
We have seen that man by selection can certainly produce great results, and can adapt organic beings to his own uses, through the accumulation of slight but useful variations, given to him by the hand of Nature. But Natural Selection, as we shall hereafter see, is a power incessantly ready for action, and is as immeasurably superior to man’s feeble efforts, as the works of Nature are to those of Art.
Hybridism First crosses between forms sufficiently distinct to be ranked as species, and their hybrids, are very generally, but not universally, sterile. the sterility is of all degrees, and is often so slight that the two most careful experimentalists who have ever lived, have come to diametrically opposite conclusions in ranking forms by this test. the sterility is innately variable in individuals of the same species, and is eminently susceptible of favourable and unfavourable conditions. the degree of sterility does not strictly follow systematic affinity, but is governed by several curious and complex laws. it is generally different, and sometimes widely different, in reciprocal crosses between the same two species. it is not always equal in degree in a first cross and in the hybrid produced from this cross. [...] the crossing of forms only slightly different is favourable to the vigour and fertility of their offspring; and that slight changes in the conditions of life are apparently favourable to the vigour and fertility of all organic beings. it is not surprising that the degree of difficulty in uniting two species, and the degree of sterility of their hybrid-offspring should generally correspond, though due to distinct causes; for both depend on the amount of difference of some kind between the species which are crossed.
1st cross pure species fertile hybrids
nature doesn’t jump mdietvorst@home.nl
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chapter 8 hybridism
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Hybrids from two species which are very difficult to cross, and which rarely produce any offspring, are generally very sterile; but the parallelism between the difficulty of making a first cross, and the sterility of the hybrids thus produced--two classes of facts which are generally confounded together--is by no means strict. There are many cases, in which two pure species can be united with unusual facility, and produce numerous hybrid-offspring, yet these hybrids are remarkably sterile. On the other hand, there are species which can be crossed very rarely, or with extreme difficulty, but the hybrids, when at last produced, are very fertile.
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Mutual Affinities of Organic Beings: Morphology: Embryology: Rudimentary Organs We shall hereafter, I think, clearly see why embryological characters are of such high classificatory importance Geo-graphical distribution may sometimes be brought usefully into play in classing large and widely distributed genera, because all the species of the same genus, inhabiting any distinct and isolated region, have in all probability descended from the same parents. [...] In monstrous plants, we often get direct evidence of the possibility of one organ being transformed into another; and we can actually see in embryonic crustaceans and in many other animals, and in flowers, that organs, which when mature become extremely different, are at an early stage of growth exactly alike.
We can understand why a species or a group of species may depart, in several of its most important characteristics, from its allies, and yet be safely classed with them. This may be safely done, and is often done, as long as a sufficient number of characters, let them be ever so unimportant, betrays the hidden bond of community of descent. Let two forms have not a single character in common, yet if these extreme forms are connected together by a chain of intermediate groups, we may at once infer their community of descent, and we put them all into the same class.
nATuRE dOEsn’T juMp mdietvorst@home.nl
We can actually see in embryonic crustaceans and in many other animals, and in flowers, that organs, which when mature become extremely different, are at an early stage of growth exactly alike.
concept
chArLeS robert DArwIn
I have used “on the origin of Species” by charles Darwin as a tool, to make a connection between nature and typography. Darwins principles form the guidelines for typographic interpretation and experimentation I want to show that typography can be just as organic as nature, and can abide by the same rules.
charles robert Darwin (12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an english naturalist, collector and geologist, who proposed and provided scientific evidence that all species of life have evolved over time from common ancestors through the process he called “natural selection”.
there is no added text of my own in this book (except for the one you are reading now). All the texts are from charles Darwin, which I have put in context with the typography. Due to the complexity and great length of the text I have chosen to limit myself to five chapters instead of all fourteen. perhaps this project has a post-academic future.
nAture DoeSn’t jump, “nature doesn’t jump / natura non facit saltum” has been a principle of natural philosophies since Aristotle’s time. It appears in the work of Isaac newton, carolus Linnaeus and charles Darwin
the fact that evolution takes place became accepted by the scientific community and the general public during Darwins lifetime, while his theory of natural selection came to be widely seen as the primary explanation of the process of evolution in the 1930’s, and now forms the base of modern evolutionary theory. In modified form, Darwin’s scientific discovery remains the foundation of biology, as it provides a logical explanation for the diversity of life. “on the origin of Species by means of natural Selection, or the preservation of Favoured races in the Struggle for Life” (usually abbreviated to “on the origin of Species”) proved unexpectedly popular, with the entire stock of 1,250 copies oversubscribed when it went on sale to booksellers on 22 november 1859.
In this context it means that nature takes its time and that evolution is a slow and graduate process, just as typography can be.
coLophon original text: “on the origin of Species by means of natural Selection, or the preservation of Favoured races in the Struggle for Life” by charles Darwin Design: merijn Dietvorst printer: VnV mediaprinting, wildert(essen) belgië, info@vnv.be paper: 80 gr Artic