94 Scientific Sophisms. 



are as surprising, as unaccountable, and as 

 unreal, as those which ingenuity, by means of 

 sleight of hand, brings out of a conjuror's hat. 

 But it is only conjuring after all; and "sound 

 knowledge " is not imposed upon by sleight of 

 hand. These " simple particles " " originated," 

 "acquired," "became," "were developed," "be- 

 came modified," " gave rise to," and " produced," 

 "all forms of life." How? When? Where? 

 No such origination has ever been witnessed. 

 No such evolution- has ever been observed. 

 No such results have ever been produced. But 

 the theory requires them ; and consequently, to 

 meet the exigencies of the theory, here they are 

 on paper. 



Before dismissing " Professor Haeckel's specu- 

 lations on Phylogeny," there is one other point 

 that calls for special notice. His fundamental 

 postulates are these: "That all forms of life 

 originally commenced as Monera, or simple 

 particles of protoplasm ; and that these Monera 

 originated from not living matter." Yet he 

 himself is perfectly aware that these, his funda- 

 mental postulates, are not only "not proven," 

 but are incapable of proof. "With respect to 

 spontaneous generation," says Mr. Huxley, 1 

 " while admitting that there is no experimental 

 1 "Critiques and Addresses." Macmillan, 1873, P- 34- 



