328 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY chap. Xlil 



twenty-fifth anniversary of its foundation (Nov. 1, 

 1894). 



The essence of the criticism is that with whatever 

 demonstrations of hostility to parts of the Darwinian 

 theory Lord Salisbury covered the retreat of his 

 party from their ancient positions, he admitted the 

 validity of the main points for which Darwin con- 

 tended. 



The essence of this great work (the Origin of Species) 

 may be stated summarily thus : it affirms the mutability 

 of species aud the descent of living forms, separated by 

 differences of more than varietal value, from one stock. 

 That is to say, it propounds the doctrine of evolution as 

 far as biology is concerned. So far, we have merely a re- 

 statement of a doctrine which, in its most general form, 

 is as old as scientific speculation. So far, we have the 

 two theses which were declared to be scientifically absurd 

 and theologically damnable by the Bishop of Oxford in 

 1860. 



It is also of these two fundamental doctrines that, at 

 the meeting of the British Association in 1894, the 

 Chancellor of the University of Oxford spoke as follows : — 



" Another lasting and unquestioned effect has resulted 

 from Darwin's work. He has, as a matter of fact, dis- 

 posed of the doctrine of the immiitability of species. . . ." 



" Few now are found to doubt that animals separated 

 by diff^erences far exceeding those that distinguished what 

 we know as species have yet descended from common 

 ancestors." 



Undoubtedly, every one conversant with the state of 

 biological science is aware that general opinion has long 

 had good reason for making the volte face thus indicated. 

 It is also mere justice to Darwin to say that this " lasting 

 and unquestioned " revolution is, in a very real sense, his 



