54 THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES 



II 



presumes every species to have originated from one 

 or more stocks, these not being the result of the 

 modification of any other form of living matter or 

 arising by natural agencies but being produced, 

 as such, by a supernatural creative act. 



The other, the so-called "transmutation" 

 hypothesis, considers that all existing species are 

 the result of the modification of pre-existing 

 species, and those of their predecessors, by agencies 

 similar to those which at the present day produce 

 varieties and races, and therefore in an altogether 

 natural way ; and it is a probable, though not a 

 necessary consequence of this hypothesis, that all 

 living beings have arisen from a single stock. 

 With respect to the origin of this primitive stock, 

 or stocks, the doctrine of the origin of species is 

 obviously not necessarily concerned. The trans- 

 mutation hypothesis, for example, is perfectly 

 consistent either with the conception of a special 

 creation of the primitive germ, or with the 

 supposition of its having arisen, as a modification 

 of inorganic matter, by natural causes. 



The doctrine of special creation owes its exist- 

 ence very largely to the supposed necessity of 

 making science accord with the Hebrew cos- 

 mogony ; but it is curious to observe that, as the 

 doctrine is at present maintained by men of 

 science, it is as hopelessly inconsistent with the 

 Hebrew view as any other hypothesis. 



If there be any result which has come more 



