DR. DRAPERS LECTURE ON EVOLUTION. 191 



original, the immutable fiat of God. In whatever direction we com- 

 mune with Nature, the dominion of universal, of everlasting law con- 

 fronts us. 



The establishment of the theory of evolution has not been due to 

 any one science, but is attributable to the conjoint movement of all. 

 It is due to the irresistible advance of human knowledge. To refer it 

 to geology alone, as is often done, is altogether a mistake. It was not 

 possible that Astronomy should fail to maintain her grand position. 

 She took the lead in the intellectual revolution which marks the close 

 of the middle ages. Single-handed and alone, she fought and won the 

 great battles of the globular form of the earth, the central sun, the 

 plurality of Avorlds. It cost her the blood of some of her leaders. 

 For some there wag the fagot, the rack, the prison-cell, the scourge. 

 But they departed from their tormentors, rejoicing that they were 

 accounted worthy to suffer even death in this cause. And now she 

 found stepping-stones for herself in the trackless infinitude of space, 

 and beckoned her comrade sciences to come and share with her the 

 glorious view she had gained of the majesty of the universe. Anato- 

 my, both human and comparative, paleontology, chemistry, physi- 

 ology, microscopy, even philosophical history, have given their aid. 

 Wherever any one science has made a marked advance, its movement 

 has been covered by some of the others, and the ground thus occu- 

 pied secured. As matters now stand, all are well to the front the 

 entire line is dressed. 



It often takes many victories to establish one conquest. Knowl- 

 edge, fresh from so many triumphs, unfalteringly continues her move- 

 ment on the works of Superstition and Ignorance. 



Now, in parting, let us bear this in mind: So great is the intellect- 

 ual advance men have made, that questions which at one time divided 

 Christendom into sects are now far in the rear. Those which once 

 separated good men socially, are passing out of sight. They are re- 

 placed by others of a very different order. Among such, one of sur- 

 passing importance confronts us the eternal reign of law. Let us 

 bear in mind what the theory of evolution so loudly proclaims : " We 

 are what we are, because the universe is what it is." If it acts upon 

 us, we react upon it. Our conception of the sphere of being we 

 occupy is enlarging, and we are thus brought into close relationship 

 with all that is beautiful on earth, all that is magnificent in the 

 heavens. 



Then let us reverently commune with Nature. Let us try to raise 

 our eyes from the varying phenomena of the world, to the solemn 

 grandeur of that silent, that imperishable reign of law that governs 

 all those changes ; let each of us earnestly address to himself the re- 

 monstrance of " The Minstrel : " 



" Oh! how canst thou renounce the boundless store 

 Of charms that Nature to her votary yields, 



