162 WHAT IS DARWINISM? 



logical record. When asked, Where are the 

 immediate predecessors of these new species ? 

 they answer, They have disappeared, or, have 

 not yet been found. When asked, Where are 

 their immediate successors ? the answer again 

 is. They have disappeared.^ This is an objec- 

 tion which Mr. Darwin, with his usual candor, 

 virtually admits to be unanswerable. We have 

 already seen, that he says, " Every one will 

 admit that the geological record is imperfect ; 

 but very few can believe that it is so very im- 

 perfect as my theory demands." 



Such are some of the grounds on which 

 geologists and palaeontologists of the highest 

 rank assert that the theory of evolution has 

 not the slightest scientific basis ; and they sup- 

 port their assertion with an amount of evi- 

 dence of which the above items are a misera- 

 ble pittance. 



Sixthly. There is another consideration of 



1 We liave heard a story of a gentleman wlio gave an artist a 

 commission for a historical painting, and suggested as the sub- 

 ject, the Passage of the Israelites over the Red Sea. In due time 

 he was informed that his picture was finished, and was shown 

 by the artist a large canvas painted red. " What is that ? " he 

 asked. "Why," says the artist, "that is the Red Sea." "But 

 where are the Israelites ? " " Oh, they have passed over." And 

 where are the Egyptians? " " They are under the sea." 



