of the Evolution Philosophy. 5 



we find that a far simpler and more complete explanation of 

 the facts is afforded by the established principles of vari- 

 ation and natural selection." Mr, Wallace's general conclu- 

 sion is that all other laws and factors in organic evolution 

 "must have operated in entire subordination to the law of 

 natural selection," a conclusion which he supports by 

 logical argument from such a wealth of accumulated facts, 

 that it will be extremely difficult for his opponents success- 

 fully to combat his views. 



While asserting the continuity of man's progress from 

 the brute, and of the higher animals from the protoplasmic 

 cell, Mr. Wallace believes that at three definite stages in 

 the progress of organic evolution there has been an in- 

 troduction of new causes, not involved in nor evolved 

 from the forces previously operating. These are, 1st., the 

 change from inorganic to organic life, otherwise involved 

 in the conception of spontaneous generation ; 2ud, the in- 

 troduction of sensation or consciousness, which "is still 

 more marvelous, still more completely beyond all possi- 

 bility of explanation by matter, its laws and forces " ; and, 

 3rd, the development of certain noble characteristics and 

 faculties in man, as, for example, his moral and intellectual 

 nature, and the mathematical, artistic and musical facul- 

 ties, which differentiate him from the brute animals, indi- 

 cate the reality of a spiritual universe, and prophetically 

 assure an immortal life for the spiritual nature of man. 



His peculiar views on these topics will probably appear 

 more or less reasonable to different persons according to 

 their temperamental tendencies and educational bias ; but 

 no one, I think, can lay down this book without a convic- 

 tion of the great ability and transparent sincerity of its 

 author, of its pre-eminent value as a contribution to the 

 general literature of evolution, and of the weight of its 

 arguments in defense of Natural Selection as a controlling 

 factor in organic development.* 



Evolution may be true, in the field of biology, it vcmy 

 yet be said, but what of it ? Man may be the descendant 

 of an anthropoid ape, "probably arboreal in its habits," 



*Note should also be made of Prof. Angelo Heilprin's recently published 

 book on "The Bermuda Islands," which contains a careful study ot the lor- 

 mation of coral reefs, contirming Darwin's theories on this subject, which 

 some recent writers have l)rought in question. The tendency of the most 

 recent studies has unqtiestionably been to strengthen the high regard in 

 which Darwin has been justly held as a careful, conscientious investigator and 

 safe theorizer in the field of evolutionary research. 



