THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION 



LECTURE I 

 PRESENT STATUS OF THE QUESTION 



Among that public which, though educated and 

 intelligent, is yet not professionally scientific, there 

 has been, of late, a widespread belief that naturalists 

 have become very doubtful as to the truth of the 

 theory of evolution and are casting about for some 

 more satisfactory substitute, which shall better ex- 

 plain the infinitely varied and manifold character of 

 the organic world. This belief is an altogether mis- 

 taken one, for never before have the students of 

 animals and plants been so nearly unanimous in 

 their acceptance of the theory as they are to-day. 

 It is true that there are still some dissentient voices, 

 as there have been ever since the publication of 

 Darwin's "Origin of Species," but the whole trend 

 of scientific opinion is strongly in favour of the 

 evolutionary hypothesis. 



Whatever may be the private opinion of a greater 

 or less number of naturalists on this question, almost 

 the only zoologist of recognized standing who has 

 taken a pronounced and positive position against the 

 theory, is Professor Fleischmann, of Erlangen. He 



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