ERNST HAECKEL: DARWINIST, MOM ST 139 



the critics are misinformed; they lack the knowledge of science and 

 modern Natur-philosophie necessary to enter the lists with any strength. 

 These critics are less bigoted and more intelligent churchmen and 

 philosophical dilettanti. Finally there is a third type of criticism, be- 

 coming now, with the startlingly swift spread of monistic acceptance 

 among the German people, more abundant and important in character. 

 It is the criticism, keenly analytical, strongly put, of professors of 

 philosophy, liberal and informed clergymen and scientific dualists like 

 Oliver Lodge. 



But still more to be reckoned with by the monists in their attempt 

 to remake the philosophy and religious belief of the world is the strong 

 and positive, if less outspoken and active antagonism, of all those who 

 are deeply imbued with the feeling that a religion or philosophy which 

 does not distinguish soul from body and which denies any hope for a 

 persistent life for the soul is a conception in some way negatived by 

 the very life and consciousness of man. 



Haeckel manfully, even joyously, faces all these kinds of criticism 

 and charges valiantly against the forces of entrenched belief. We can 

 not too much praise the fighting qualities of this champion. He is 

 a world-figure; at any rate he looms a world-figure in German eyes. 

 We can hardly understand in America how much reading and attention 

 are given by the whole body of German people to the serious problems 

 of philosophy and religion. Haeckel's books and pamphlets are issued 

 by scores of thousands and eagerly read. The " Lebensrathsel " alone is 

 in its two hundred and fiftieth thousand. And in all the bookshop 

 windows are displayed the pamphlets answering and denouncing the 

 atheist philosopher of Jena. The Haeckel and monism subject is only 

 second in interest to the eternal problem of the Kaiser temperament ! 



Through it all one turns with keen interest to the kindly-faced 

 white-haired figure of the protagonist. Seventy-six years old and still 1 

 carrying on steadily the duties of his professorship, lecturing simply to 

 students, speaking occasionally to popular assemblies and uttering 

 steadily in direct and plainest sentences his iconoclastic and radical 

 philosophy. His hearers and admirers and followers come chiefly from 

 the lower and middle classes, and especially from the ranks of the grow- 

 ing social-democratic party. He is essentially a people's prophet. 

 Actually how large his following is it would be difficult to say, but the 

 tremendous demand for his writings, all the popularized ones of which 

 are issued in cheap " people's editions," indicates in some degree the 

 number of his adherents. Many of the social-democrats and all the 

 " free-thinkers " take up his cause with enthusiasm, and his " Theses 



1 Since this was written (last winter in Europe) Haeckel has given up his 

 university chair to devote himself exclusively to the care of his new phyletic 

 museum. 



