MAUPERTUIS, Pierre-Louis Moreau de

Dans ""Vénus physique"", Maupertuis s'oppose à la théorie de la préformation de l'embryon alors en vogue, en affirmant que le père et la mère ont une influence égale sur l'hérédité. ""Maupertuis's remarkable work on embryology and genetics... His arguments against the then-prevailing theory of pre-formation and for epigenesis were so close to the idea of evolution that he is a true forerunner of Darwin and Mendel"" (Heirs of Hippocrates). Maupertuis likely published the work anonymously to avoid repercussions from the church authorities. Originally published in 1745. The oldest book in Garrison & Morton's 'Evolution, Heredity, Genetics' section. Ref. Garrison & Morton 215.2; Heirs of Hippocrates 536; not in Brunet