6 THE DOCTRINE OF DESCENT. 



through those to whom man appeared a being com- 

 pletely within the bounds of nature. But others, who 

 can think of man only as a being absolutely endowed 

 above his natural surroundings, could not fail to regard 

 as a sort of crime the deduction which an all-embrac- 

 ing theory applied with relentless logic to man. 



The interest with which the modern theory of kindred 

 and descent has been received does not, therefore, 

 proceed from friends alone, but quite as much from 

 antagonists, who perceive, more or less distinctly, the 

 danger with which the new doctrine threatens their 

 standpoint of miracle. 



Even in England the opposition to the great Eng- 

 lishman, with whose name the revolution is connected, 

 has been very considerable, especially since it became 

 evident that, true to himself, he includes man also 

 within the range of his researches, and purposes to 

 apply to him all the consequences of his doctrine. But 

 it appears to me that the dispute and the agitation are 

 still keener on this side of the channel, where Darwin- 

 ism is meat and drink to the daily papers, and to the 

 philosophical and theological periodicals. 



This phenomenon is obvious to all eyes, and we 

 are convinced of the deep importance of the subject 

 which, whether we take part for, or against it, must 

 influence our whole theory of life. Here too that has 

 happened to many, which so often happens in ques- 

 tions the difficulties of which are veiled by an apparent 

 general familiarity. Every one thinks himself capable 

 of deciding about life, and, since to non-scientific per- 

 sons the notorious relationship with apes is the alpha 

 and omega of the doctrine of Descent since the most 



