32 THE COMING OF EVOLUTION [CH. iv 



become the centre of the bitterest opposition to his 

 teachings 1 



But 'the darkest hour of night is that which 

 precedes the dawn/ and while the forces of reaction 

 in this country appeared to be triumphant over 

 Button's teaching, there was in preparation, to use the 

 words of Darwin, a 'grand work'...' which the future 

 historian will recognise as having produced a revolu- 

 tion in natural science.' 



