SCIENTIFIC DABBLERS. 597 



from non-living matter, it will merely be shown that they arose in ac- 

 cordance with the universal design. That is, looking from the stand- 

 point of a belief in Deity, it would be demonstrated that here, as 

 throughout all the domain of Nature, His work was done systemati- 

 cally, through the medium of law, and not in an arbitrary, mechanical, 

 dust-moulding manner. And no one can find any thing atheistic, or 

 even materialistic, in such a view. The question is one of visible or- 

 der versus seeming disorder, the probabilities being in favor of the 

 former. 



Not long since, Darwin's " Descent of Man " was published. And 

 shortly afterward, I stumbled upon a newspaper review, which was 

 made up of unreasoning ridicule. The writer was evidently no special- 

 ist in science, and yet he ventured to discuss a theory propounded by 

 one of the most thorough naturalists living, who is supported in his 

 views by probably a large majority of scientific men. And the most 

 astonishing portion of this astonishing review was, where the writer 

 asserted that the book did not contain a single argument which would 

 convince any one but a scientific man ! As if any one but a scientific 

 man was able to judge fully of the merits of the arguments. 



Now, space forbids my entering into discussion of the development- 

 theory (which, by-the-way, did not originate with Darwin, his being 

 merely one of several development-theories), and yet a word or two is 

 necessary. The naturalist, looking about him, sees many facts which 

 require to be classified and explained. He sees that all mammals re- 

 semble each other anatomically ; he finds evidences of development 

 from lower to higher stages in their embryos ; he is confronted by the 

 fact that species are modified by cultivation ; and he meets with hosts 

 of observations chiming in with these. The development-theory is 

 naturally suggested to his mind. Flinging prejudices to one side, he 

 finds that the theory classifies many of these facts, and renders them 

 mutually intelligible. To be sure, the doctrine is not absolutely 

 proved, but then there are all these things in its favor, and little more 

 than negative evidence against it. He has learned to beware of nesra- 

 tive evidence, however, as often leading to fallacies ; and, looking at 

 all the difficulties in the way, accepts the theory, provisionally at least, 

 as superior to any other which has been suggested. It may not be 

 true, or it may ; at all events it classifies his knowledge for him, and 

 is useful for the time being. And he finds that, instead of giving him 

 degraded views of man, it enables him to see both God and humanity 

 in clearer light. The progress indicated in the past hints at greater 

 progress in the future, and encourages him to stronger and better 

 efforts. Development is shown to be a part of man's duty, and the 

 hope of success is strengthened. 



The question of the actual antiquity of man will probably never be 

 settled. If man, as the development-theory holds, arose by the slow 

 modification of lower species, then it is plain that no precise moment 



