CHAMBERS. 2 1 5 



out-and-out evolutionists before the publication of 

 the Origin of Species. In his articles, " Illogical 

 Geology " * and " The Development Hypothesis," 

 he strongly contrasts the difficulties of the Special 

 Creation hypothesis with the arguments for devel- 

 opment. He does not enter into the question of 

 the factors of Evolution, although such passages as 

 the following might be interpreted as showing his 

 inclination to Buffon's theory: "... Any exist- 

 ing species, animal or vegetable, when placed under 

 conditions different from its previous ones, imme- 

 diately begins to undergo certain changes of struct- 

 ure fitting it for the new conditions. . . . There is 

 at work a modifying influence of the kind they 

 assign as the cause of these specific differences." 



THE PROGRESSIONISTS. 



The Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation 

 appeared in England, in 1844, the only volume 

 wholly devoted to Evolution between the Philoso- 

 phie Zoologique, and the Origin of Species. It was 

 published anonymously, but is now attributed to 

 ROBERT CHAMBERS (1802-1871), because of his lib- 

 eral views and considerable knowledge of Geology; 

 yet he never acknowledged the authorship which 

 still remains unclaimed. Although intelligently and 

 reverently written, it met a scathing reception from 

 the reviewers upon the score of false science and 



1 These articles were republished in 1865, in an American edition of 

 Spencer's Essays, entitled, " Illustrations of Universal Progress." 



