108 WHAT IS DARWINISM f 



much more fruitful than it was before. His 

 hypothesis, then, whilst having the advantage 

 of exempting science from the necessity of 

 introducing the personal and miraculous inter- 

 vention of God in the creation of each species, 

 yet would be free from the banishing out of 

 the universe an all-provident thought, and 

 of submitting everything to blind and brute 

 chance." (pp. 198, 199) Professor Janet asks 

 far too much of Mr. Darwin. To ask him to 

 give up his denial of final causes is like asking 

 the Eomanists to give up the Pope. That prin- 

 ciple is the life and soul of his system. 



M. Flour ens. 



M. Flourens, recently dead, was one of the 

 earliest and most pronounced opponents of 

 Darwinism. He published in 1864 his " Exa- 

 men du Livre de M. Darwin sur FOrigine des 

 Especes." His position as Member of the 

 Academic FranQaise, and Perpetual Secretary 

 of the Academie des Sciences, or Institut de 

 France, vouch for his high rank among the 

 French naturalists. His connection with the 

 Jardin des Plantes ga;^e him enlarged oppor- 

 tunities for biological experiments. The result 

 of his own experience, as well as the expe- 



