106 STUDIES IN ANIMAL LIFE. 



ble ; it is not, therefore, much in vogue. The sec- 

 ond is to render the doctrine ridiculous by pretend- 

 ing that it includes certain extravagant propositions 

 of which it is entirely innocent. The third is to 

 render the doctrine odious by forcing on it certain 

 conclusions which it would repudiate, but which are 

 declared to be " the inevitable consequences" of such 

 a doctrine. Now it is undoubtedly true that men 

 frequently maintain very absurd opinions; but it 

 is neither candid nor wise to assume that men who 

 otherwise are certainly not fools, hold opinions the 

 absurdity of which is transparent. 



Let us not, therefore, tax the followers of La- 

 marck, Geoffrey St. Hilaire, or Mr. Darwin with ab- 

 surdities they have not advocated, but rather en- 

 deavor to see what solid argument they have for 

 the basis of their hypothesis. 



