Km. J CRITICISMS ON " TUE ORIGIN OF SPECIES." 313 



with Professor Kollifeer, wo have always done so with 

 regret, and we trust without violating that respect which 

 is due, not only to his scientific eminence and to the 

 careful study which he has devoted to the subject, but 

 to the perfect fairness of his argumentation, and the 

 generous appreciation of the worth of Mr. Darwin's 

 labours which he always displays. It would bo satisfac- 

 tory to be able to say as much for M. Flourens. 



But the Perpetual Secretary of the French Academy 

 of Sciences deals with Mr. Darwin as the first Napoleon 

 would have treated an " ideologue ;" and while dis- 

 playing a painful weakness of logic and shallowness of 

 information, assumes a tone of authority, which always 

 touches upon the ludicrous, and sometimes passes the 

 limits of good breeding. 



For example (p. 56) : — 



" M. Darwin continue : ' Aucune distinction absolue n'a etc ct no 

 peut etre etablie entre les especes et les varietes.' Je vous ai deja dit 

 que vous vous trompiez ; une distinction absolue separe les varietes 

 d'avec les especes." 



" Je vous ai deja dit ; moi, M. le Secretaire perpetual 

 do l'Academie des Sciences : et vous 



•Qui n'etes rien, 

 Pas meme Academician; ' 



what do you mean by asserting the contrary V 1 Being 

 devoid of the blessings of an Academy in England, we 

 are unaccustomed to see our ablest men treated in this 

 fashion even by a " Perpetual Secretary/' 



Or again, considering that if there is any one quality 

 of Mr. Darwin's work to which friends and foes have 

 alike borne witness, it is his candour and fairness in 

 admitting and discussing objections, what is to bo 

 thought of M. Flourens* assertion, that 



