24 



acting upon internal structure through the nervous system, 

 and by the transmission of the modifications thus produced." 

 In 1844 appeared a work 1 completely devoted to the subject 

 of evolution. "We are drawn on to the supposition, " the 

 author says, "that the first step in the creation of life upon 

 this planet was a chemico-electric operation by which simple 

 germinal vesicles were produced." 1 From this first step 

 Chambers traces the development of life up to man, including 

 in the term 'man', mind as well as organic structure. This 

 work of Chambers met with a tremendous sale, and indicates 

 that the soil was well prepared for Darwin's 'Origin of Species', 

 which was shortly to follow. 



4. DARWIN, WALLACE. 



The peculiar circumstances under which appeared almost 

 simultaneously the work of A. R. Wallace "On the Law which 

 has regulated the Introduction of New Species", setting 

 forth a very strong argument for the theory of descent, and 

 the work of Darwin on "The Origin of Species ", wherein both 

 theories were remarkably coincident, are well known. 



Notwithstanding the fact, as indicated above, that the 

 theory of descent had been clearly formulated, it was not until 

 Darwin had backed up the formulation of the Descent theory 

 with his wonderful accumulation of illuminating facts, that 

 the "Theory of Descent began to be spelled with capital 

 letters in the Biological Creed". Darwin's real contribution 

 to the doctrine of Evolution consisted in his theory of Natural 

 Selection. But even in the formulation of this theory there 

 must also be recognized the participation of other minds than 

 that of Darwin. He has mentioned in his autobiography that 

 it was not until he had read Malthus that he got a clear view 

 of the potency of Natural Selection. And, as already indicated, 

 there seems to be a connection with the association and utili- 

 tarian theories in psychology, in the atmosphere of which 

 Darwin lived. 



This will be all the more apparent from a brief exposition 

 of Darwin with a view to showing in what relation the theory 

 of biological evolution, under the control of Natural Selection, 

 stands to the development of psychology and the ethical 

 theories based upon it. 



^'Vestiges of Natural History of Creation ", 1844, Ch. 14. This work was 

 published anonymously, but is generally conceded to have been written by 

 Robert Chambers. 



