2G4 



VIII. 

 CREATION BY LAW. 



AMONG the various criticisms that have appeared on 

 Mr. Darwin's celebrated " Origin of Species," there 

 is, perhaps, none that will appeal to so large a number 

 of well educated and intelligent persons, as that con- 

 tained in the Duke .of Argyll's " Reign of Law." The 

 noble author represents the feelings and expresses the 

 ideas of that large class, who take a keen interest in 

 the progress of Science in general, and especially that 

 of Natural History, but have never themselves studied 

 nature in detail, or acquired that personal knowledge 

 of the structure of closely allied forms, the wonder- 

 ful gradations from species to species and from group 

 to group, and the infinite variety of the phenomena 

 of " variation " in organic beings, which are abso- 

 lutely necessary for a full appreciation of the facts and 

 reasonings contained in Mr. Darwin's great work. 



Nearly half of the Duke's book is devoted to an 

 exposition of his idea of " Creation by Law," and he 

 expresses so clearly what are his difficulties and ob- 

 jections as regards the theory of u Natural Selection," 

 that I think it advisable that they should be fairly 

 answered, and that his own views should be shown to 

 lead to conclusions, as hard to accept as any which he 

 imputes to Mr. Darwin. 



