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CHAPTER IX 



Evolutionary Theories Since Darwin 



In considering the value of Charles Darwin's work 

 and its permanent effect upon the thought of man- 

 kind, we must be careful to distinguish between two 

 phases of his effort. It was his aim to prove two ^ 

 propositions : first, that there is such a process as evo- 

 lution; second, that he had discovered the method 

 by which evolution is accomplished. Before his time 

 there was no general agreement as to the fact of evo- 

 lution. People generally thought the idea absurd, as 

 well as irreligious. All previous efforts on the part of 

 advanced thinkers to persuade mankind of the truth 

 of evolution had been nearly without effect. Among 

 the early philosophers the whole idea was purely spec- 

 ulative. They made no attempt to prove it, and the 

 conception was without influence upon the thinking 

 of the ordinary man. This remains true until the 

 time of Lamarck. This French genius succeeded in 

 persuading not a few people of the validity of the 

 idea of evolution. He probably could have convinced 

 many more had it not been for the hostility of Cuvier. 



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