20 E VOL UTION A ND DOGMA . 



history of France. The number of volumes that 

 have been written on our Civil War can soon be 

 enumerated by myriads, and still other works on the 

 same subject are being published in rapid succession. 

 Startling, however, as these figures may appear, they 

 are insignificant in comparison with those relating 

 to the subject of Evolution. In every language of 

 the civilized world, books, brochures, and maga- 

 zine articles innumerable, have been written on Evo- 

 lution, and the number of publications of various 

 kinds specially treating of this topic is now almost 

 beyond computation. 



Such being the case, it will evidently be impos- 

 sible for me to do more than give a brief sketch of 

 the history of Evolution, and of its status to-day in 

 the world of thought, religious, scientific and philo- 

 sophic. It is something that one cannot develop 

 dans un mot, as a certain French lady expected of a 

 noted savant, when asking him to explain his system 

 of philosophy. For a similar reason, also, I can dis- 

 cuss but briefly the bearings of Evolution on religion 

 and Catholic dogma. I shall, therefore, have to limit 

 myself to a few general propositions, and refer those 

 who desire a more exhaustive treatment of the sub- 

 jects discussed, to the many elaborate and learned 

 works that have been given to the world during the 

 past few decades. 



Freedom From Bias in the Discussion of Evolution. 



I may here be permitted, before going further, to 

 remind the reader that it is of prime importance, in 

 the discussion of the subject of Evolution, especially 



