The Theory of Natural Selection. 277 



as I have said, curious to find some of them denouncing 

 a wider definition of the principle of natural selection, 

 merely because the narrower (or included) definition is 

 invested with the charm of verbal associations J . 



So much for fallacies and misconceptions touch- 

 ing Darwin's theory, which are but too frequently 

 met with in the writings of its supporters. We must 

 now pass on to mention some of the still greater 

 fallacies and misconceptions which are prevalent in 

 the writings of its opponents. And, in order to do 

 this thoroughly, I shall begin by devoting the re- 

 mainder of the present chapter to a consideration of 

 the antecedent standing of the two theories of natural 

 selection and supernatural design. This having been 

 done, in the succeeding chapters I shall deal with the 

 evidences for, and the objections against, the former 

 theory. 



Beginning, then, with the antecedent standing of 

 these alternative theories, the first thing to be noticed 

 is, that they are both concerned with the same subject- 

 matter, which it is their common object to explain. 

 Moreover, this subject-matter is clearly and sharply 

 divisible into two great classes of facts in organic 

 nature namely, those of Adaptation and those of 

 Beauty. Darwin's theory of descent explains the for- 

 mer by his doctrine of natural selection, and the latter 

 by his doctrine of sexual selection. In the first instance, 

 therefore, I shall have to deal only with the facts of 



1 The question as to whether natural selection has been the only prin- 

 ciple concerned in the origination of species, is quite distinct from that 

 as to the accuracy of the above definition. 



