2 WHAT IS DARWINISM? 



around us to be referred ? As we are a part of 

 the universe, these questions concern ourselves. 

 What are the origin, nature, and destiny of 

 man ? Professor Huxley is right in saying, 

 " The question of questions for mankind — the 

 problem which underlies all others, and is 

 more interesting than any other — is the as- 

 certainment of the place which Man occupies 

 in nature and of his relation to the universe of 

 things. Whence our race has come, what are 

 the limits of our power over nature, and of 

 nature's power over us, to what goal are we 

 tending, are the problems which present them- 

 selves anew and with undiminished interest to 

 every man born into the w^orld." ^ Mr. Darwin 

 undertakes to answer these questions. He 

 proposes a solution of the problem which thus 

 deeply concerns every living man. Darwinism 

 is, therefore, a theory of the universe, at least 

 so far as the living organisms on this earth 

 are concerned. This being the case, it may be 

 well to state, in few words, the other prevalent 

 theories on this great subject, that the points 

 of agreement and of difference between them 

 and the views of Mr. Darwin may be the more 

 clearly seen. 



* Evidences of Man's Place in Nature. London, 1864, p. 67. 



