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448 THE CAUSES OF THE ORY | 
fessing to discuss a single question, an encyclo- 
peedia, [ cannot help it. 
Now, having had an opportunity of considering — 
in this sort of way the different statements bear- ~ 
ing upon all theories whatsoever, I have to lay 
before you, as fairly as I can, what is Mr. Darwin’s 
view of the matter and what position his theories 
hold, when judged by the principles which I have 
previously laid down, as deciding our judgments 
upon all theories and hiypotlisaaat 
I have already stated to you that the inquiry 
respecting the causes of the phenomena of organic 
nature resolves itself into two problems—the first 
being the question of the origination of living or 
organic beings ; and the second being the totally - 
distinct problem of the modification and perpetua- 
tion of organic beings when they have already 
come into existence. The first question Mr. 
Darwin does not touch; he does not deal with it 
at all; but he says :—‘ Given the origin of organic 
| matter—supposing its creation to have already 
taken place, my object is to show in consequence | 
_ of what laws and what demonstrable properties of 
organic matter, and of its environments, such 
{| states of organic nature as those with which we 
~ are acquainted must have come about.” This, you 
will observe, is a perfectly legitimate proposition ; 
every person has a right to define the limits of 
the inquiry which he sets before himself; and yet 
it is a most singular thing that in all the multi- 
