xii.] THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES. 223 



Nor has the discussion of the subject been restrained within 

 the limits of conversation. When the public is eager and 

 interested, reviewers must minister to its wants ; and the 

 genuine litterateur is too much in the habit of acquiring his 

 knowledge from the book he judges as the Abyssinian is said 

 to provide himself with steaks from the ox which carries him 

 to be withheld from criticism of a profound scientific work by 

 the mere want of the requisite preliminary scientific acquire 

 ment ; while, on the other hand, the men of science who wish 

 well to the new views, no less than those who dispute their 

 validity, have naturally sought opportunities of expressing their 

 opinions. Hence it is not surprising that almost all the critical 

 journals have noticed Mr. Darwin s work at greater or less 

 length ; and so many disquisitions, of every degree of excellence, 

 from the poor product of ignorance, too often stimulated by 

 prejudice, to the fair and thoughtful essay of the candid student 

 of Nature, have appeared, that it seems an almost helpless task 

 to attempt to say anything new upon the question. 



But it may be doubted if the knowledge and acumen of 

 prejudged scientific opponents, or the subtlety of orthodox 

 special pleaders, have yet exerted their full force in mystifying 

 the real issues of the great controversy which has been set afoot, 

 and whose end is hardly likely to be seen by this generation ; so 

 that at this eleventh hour, and even failing anything new, it 

 may be useful to state afresh that which is true, and to put the 

 fundamental positions advocated by Mr. Darwin in such a form 

 that they may be grasped by those whose special studies lie in 

 other directions. And the adoption of this course may be the 

 more advisable, because notwithstanding its great deserts, and 

 indeed partly on account of them, the &quot; Origin of Species &quot; is by 

 no means an easy book to read if by reading is implied the full 

 comprehension of an author s meaning. 



We do not speak jestingly in saying that it is Mr. Darwin s 

 misfortune to know more about the question he has taken up 

 than any man living. Personally and practically exercised in 

 zoology, in minute anatomy, in geology ; a student of geographical 



