150 AN EPISCOPAL TRILOGY IV 



to convey the impression that Mr. Murray's views 

 have been ignored, that there has been a conspiracy 

 of silence against them, it is utterly contrary to 

 notorious fact. 



Professor Geikie's well-known " Textbook of 

 Geology " was published in 1882, and at pages 457- 

 459 of that work there is a careful exposition of 

 Mr. Murray's views. Moreover Professor Geikie 

 has specially advocated them on other occasions, 1 

 notably in a long article on " The Origin of Coral - 

 Reefs," published in two numbers of " Nature " for 

 1883, and in a Presidential Address delivered in the 

 same year. If, in so short a time after the publi- 

 cation of his views, Mr. Murray could boast of a 

 convert, so distinguished and influential as the 

 Director of the Geological Survey, it seems to me 

 that this wonderful conspiration de silence (which 

 has about as much real existence as the Duke of 

 Argyll's other bogie, " The Reign of Terror ") must 

 have ipso facto collapsed. I wish that, when I was 

 a young man, my endeavours to upset some pre- 

 valent errors had met with as speedy and effectual 

 backing. 



Seventh : 



. . . Mr. John Murray was strongly advised against the pub- 

 lication of his views in derogation of Darwin's long accepted 



1 Professor Geikie, however, though a strong, is a fair and 

 candid advocate. He says of Darwin's theory, "That it may 

 be possibly true, in some instances, may be readily granted." 

 For Professor Geikie, then, it is not yet overthrown still less a 

 dream. 



