RECEPTION OF THE 'ORIGIN OF SPECIES/ 183 

 REVIEW OF Darwin's theory on the origin of species by means 



OF NATURAL SELECTION. 

 By ASA GRAY.* 



We are thus, at last, brought to the question ; what would happen if 

 the derivation of species were to be substantiated, either as a true phys- 

 ical theory, or as a sufficient hypothesis ? What would come of it ? The 

 enquiry is a pertinent one, just now. For, of those who agree with us 

 in thinking that Darwin has not established his theory of derivation, 

 many will admit with us that he has rendered a theory of derivation 

 much less improbable than before; that such a theory chimes in with 

 the established doctrines of physical science, and is not unlikely to 

 be largely accepted long before it can be proved. Moreover, the vari- 

 ous notions that prevail, — equally among the most and the least re- 

 ligious, — as to the relations between natural agencies or phenomena and 

 Efficient Cause, are seemingly more crude, obscure, and discordant than 

 they need be. 



It is not surprising that the doctrine of the book should be de- 

 nounced as atheistical. What does surprise and concern us is, that it 

 should be so denounced by a scientific man, on the broad assumption 

 that a material connection between the members of a series of organized 

 beings is inconsistent with the idea of their being intellectually con- 

 nected with one another through the Deity, i. e., as products of one 

 mind, as indicating and realizing a preconceived plan. An assumption 

 the rebound of which is somewhat fearful to contemplate, but fortu- 

 nately one which every natural birth protests against. * * * 



We wished under the light of such views, to examine more critically 

 the doctrine of this book, especially of some questionable parts ; — for in- 

 stance, its explanation of the natural development of organs, and its 

 implication of a "^necessary acquirement of mental power" in the 

 ascending scale of gradation. But there is room only for the general 

 declaration that we cannot think the Cosmos a series which began with 

 chaos and ends with mind, or of which mind is a result; that if by 

 the successive origination of species and organs through natural agen- 

 cies, the author means a series of events which succeed each other 

 irrespective of a continued directing intelligence, — events which mind 

 does not order and shape to destined ends, — then he has not established 

 that doctrine, nor advanced towards its establishment, but has accumu- 

 lated improbabilities beyond all belief. Take the formation and the 

 origination of the successive degrees of complexity of eyes as a speci- 

 men. The treatment of this subject (pp. 188, 189), upon one inter- 

 pretation is open to all the objections referred to; but if, on the other 



* From a review in 'The American Journal of Science and Arts,' MarcTi, 

 1860. 



