I.] INTRODUCTORY. 



advocated are correct) ultimately present that aspect and 

 character with which it has issued from the hands of 

 those writers. 



Neither, most certainly, will that solution agree in 

 appearance or substance with the more or less crude 

 conceptions which have been put forth by most of the 

 opponents of Messrs. Darwin and Wallace. 



Rather, judging from the more recent manifestations of 

 thought on opposite sides, we may expect the development 

 of some tertium quid the resultant of forces coming from 

 different quarters, and not coinciding in direction with any 

 one of them. 



As error is almost always partial truth, and so consists 

 in the exaggeration or distortion of one verity by the 

 suppression of another which qualifies and modifies the 

 former, we may hope, by the synthesis of the truths con- 

 tended for by various advocates, to arrive at the one 

 conciliating reality. 



Signs of this conciliation are not wanting : opposite 

 scientific views, opposite philosophical conceptions and 

 opposite religious beliefs, are rapidly tending by their 

 vigorous conflict to evolve such a systematic and com- 

 prehensive view of the genesis of species as will com- 

 pletely harmonize with the teachings of science, philosophy 

 and religion. 



To endeavour to add one stone to this temple of concord, 

 to try and remove a few of the misconceptions and mutual 

 misunderstandings which oppose harmonious action, is the 

 aim and endeavour of the present work. This aim it is 

 hoped to attain, not by shirking difficulties, but analysing 

 them, and by endeavouring to dig down to the common 

 root which supports and unites diverging stems of truth. 



B 2 



