156 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



be induced to believe in a true theory until it was presented to them securely 

 established on a false basis. But whether false or sound, Natural Selection has 

 done its work well. The theory of evolution is at length too deeply ingrained in 

 our thought ever to be uprooted, even though the original basis of it may happen 

 to be cut away. 



As long as biologists are divided on the doctrines mentioned above, it will be 

 impossible to form a just estimate of the position in science of Alfred Russel 

 Wallace. He was unquestionably a very eminent naturalist of enterprising dis- 

 position ; but, like another eminent naturalist — Fabre — more fitted for the collection 

 of vast multitudes of very interesting facts than for their philosophic co-ordination 

 into general principles. The two aptitudes seldom go together. Those whose 

 minds can spread over a vast collocation of facts do not easily penetrate their 

 inwardness. It speaks much for his mental vigour that he <tfzV/ perceive the theory 

 of Natural Selection, and almost by chance bounded into fame through the 

 favourable orientation of public attention, due mainly to the work of Darwin and 

 Huxley. 



Though we may yet be unable to estimate truly the ultimate position of Wallace 

 in biology, we are under no such disability with reference to his subsequent in- 

 cursions into politics and spiritualism. Twice at least he was warned by Darwin 

 to avoid politics. " I hope to Heaven that politics will not replace natural 

 science." " I hope that you will not turn renegade to natural history." Yet 

 his interest shifted almost entirely to politics, and, worse still, to spiritualism. It 

 is unnecessary to comment on the absurdities in which he became implicated. 

 Like a well-known living spiritualist, he seemed to anticipate an influential billet 

 in the next world. Myers writes asking Wallace to put in a good word for him 

 when he arrives in " the next world," " as you will have much influence there." 

 They both seem to have regarded the Almighty as a sort of prime minister in 

 heaven, accessible to backstair influence, which indeed it was rather essential to 

 exercise, if one did not wish to be relegated to everlasting obscurity. Merit is to 

 be modified by social position, etc., etc. Wallace is to be a " friend at court," 

 and the unfortunate outsider, who has no friend at court, will escape the notice or 

 favour of the Lord. 



It may well be, however, that the accentuation of these primeval crudities is 

 due more to the biographer than to Wallace himself. For, as a biography, the 

 work cannot be compared to those either of Huxley or of Darwin. Mr. Marchant's 

 capacity as a biographer is limited by the circumstance that he has no knowledge 

 of science, and no power of literary expression. He speaks, for instance, of the 

 " mutual exploration " of Wallace and Bates — a phrase which has a totally dif- 

 ferent meaning from that intended. He says that " the philosophy of Bergson is 

 spoken about on the housetops " — a singularly desolate location in which to discuss 

 it — for Mr. Marchant misses the point of the hackneyed simile which he probably 

 intended to employ. It is more alarming when he informs us that " To Wallace 

 pain was the birth-cry of a soul's advance." How can a poor reviewer adequately 

 deal with such drivel in an important biography of the season ! He can only 

 suspect that Mr. Marchant has laboured to bring out all the weaker points of 

 Wallace, and to suppress the stronger, for the benefit of his own peculiar opinions, 

 which however are a subject of but little interest to most of his readers. In con- 

 clusion, we can do no more than affirm that this book leaves us pretty much where 

 we were before in reaching a true estimate of the remarkable personality with 

 which it deals. 



Hugh Elliot. 



