AUTHOR'S PREFACE 



TO 



THE SECOND EDITION 



SINCE the proof-sheets of the Appendix to this book 

 left my hands, finally corrected, and too late for me to 

 be able to recast the first of the two chapters that 

 compose it, I hear, with the most profound regret, of 

 the death of Mr. Charles Darwin. 



It being still possible for me to refer to this event in 

 a preface, I hasten to say how much it grates upon me 

 to appear to renew my attack upon Mr. Darwin under 

 the present circumstances. 



I have insisted in each of my three books on Evolu- 

 tion upon the immensity of the service which Mr. 

 Darwin rendered to that transcendently important 

 theory. In " Life and Habit," I said : " To the end of 

 time, if the question be asked, ' Who taught people to 

 believe in Evolution ?' the answer must be that it was 

 Mr. Darwin." This is true; and it is hard to see 

 what palm of higher praise can be awarded to any 

 philosopher. 



I have always admitted myself to be under the 

 deepest obligations to Mr. Darwin's works ; and it was 

 with the greatest reluctance, not to say repugnance, 



