Mr. Mivart on Darwinism. 35 



inquirer ; yet once in a while he makes a slip, 

 forgets or overlooks some inconspicuous but im- 

 portant fact, or sets down an inference without 

 his customary caution. Ordinary writers in such 

 cases too often prefer to stand by what they have 

 written, quietly ignoring criticisms that are hard 

 to dispose of, very much as Mr. Mivart, in re- 

 printing his rejoinder to Mr. Chauncey Wright, 

 takes care not to inform the reader of the surre- 

 joinder which came from his powerful antagonist. 

 But Mr. Darwin finds it easy to acknowledge 

 himself mistaken. His interest in his personal 

 reputation for infallibility, and his zeal in behalf 

 of the doctrine he is defending, are held in entire 

 subordination to the main purpose of getting the 

 facts presented as fairly and completely as pos- 

 sible. This is the true scientific spirit the 

 spirit in which to acquire lessons from nature, 

 whether in the world of mind or in the world of 

 matter ; and when a writer manifests this spirit 

 so consistently as Mr. Darwin, he is sure to win 

 the respect and confidence of his readers in the 

 highest degree. An occasional error goes for lit- 

 tle when, weighed in the scales against entire dis- 

 interestedness. 



To a disinterested critic all this, one would 

 think, should be self-evident. Yet so far is Mr. 



