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LAMARCK, ALS LIFE AND WORK 
and boldness in speculation, and soundness in reason- 
ing and in dealing with such biological facts as were 
known in his time, which have caused his views as to 
the method of organic evolution to again come to the 
front. 
As a zoélogical philosopher no one of his time 
approached Lamarck. The period, however, in 
which he lived was not ripe for the hearty and gen- 
eral adoption of the theory of descent. As in the 
organic world we behold here and there prophetic 
types, anticipating, in their generalized synthetic 
nature, the incoming, ages after, of more specialized 
types, so Lamarck anticipated by more than half a 
century the principles underlying the present evolu- 
tionary theories. 
So numerous are now the adherents, in some form, 
of Lamarck’s views, that at the present time evolu- 
tionists are divided into Darwinians and Lamarckians 
or Neolamarckians. The factors of organic evolution 
as stated by Lamarck, it is now claimed by many, 
really comprise the primary or foundation principles 
or initiative causes of the origin of life-forms. Hence 
not only do many of the leading biologists of his 
native country, but some of those of Germany, of 
the United States, and of England, justly regard him 
as the founder of the theory of organic evolution. 
Besides this, Lamarck lived in a transition period. 
He prepared the way for the scientific renascence in 
France. Moreover, his simple, unselfish character was 
a tare one.) Ele ledtairetired life) ) iis youthwwas 
tinged with romance, and during the last decade of 
his life he was blind. He manfully and patiently 
