But as single characters may revert, I must say that I see no improbability in several reverting.

As I do not believe any well-founded experiments or facts are known, each must form his opinion from vague generalities.
I think you confound two rather distinct considerations; a variation arises from any cause, and reversion is not opposed to this, but solely to its inheritance.

Not but what I believe what we must call perhaps a dozen distinct laws are all struggling against each other in every variation which ever arises.

To give my impression, if I were forced to bet whether or not, after a hundred generations of growth in a poor sandy soil, a cauliflower and red cabbage would or would not revert to the same form, I must say I would rather stake my money that they would.
But in such a case the conditions of life are changed (and here comes the question of direct influence of condition), and there is to be no selection, the comparatively sudden effect of man's selection are left to the free play of reversion.
In short, I dare not come to any conclusion without comparing all facts which I have collected, and I do not think there are many.
Please do not say to any one that I thought my book on species would be fairly popular and have a fairly remunerative sale (which was the height of my ambition), for if it prove a dead failure it would make me the more ridiculous.
LETTER 73.

TO W.H.MILLER.