140 PROGRESS OF SCIENCE. 



to point out. Darwin sums up the chief features of his theory 

 as follows: "(i) Growth with reproduction; (2) inheritance; 

 (3) variability from the indirect and direct action of the 

 conditions of life and (4) from use and disuse; (5) a ratio 

 of increase (reproduction) so high as to lead to (6) a struggle 

 for life, and as a consequence (7) to natural selection, en- 

 tailing (8) divergence of character and (9) the extinction of 

 the less improved forms. Thus from the war of nature, 

 from famine and death, the most exalted objects which we 

 are capable of conceiving, namely, the production of the 

 higher animals, directly follows." If the belief of an efficient 

 cause, instead of a final cause, should offend our moral 

 sense, we should aptly remember the words of Bishop 

 Temple already quoted, supplemented by what a distin- 

 guished evolutionist says on the subject. " To the careless 

 and hasty eye," says Crookes, " design and evolution seem 

 antagonistic ; the more careful inquirer sees that evolution 

 steadily proceeding along an ascending scale of excellence, 

 is the strongest argument in favour of a preconceived plan." 

 This beautiful thought does not meet the argument of the 

 existence of evil ; but it is well calculated, nevertheless, to 

 comfort those who may be disposed to look upon evil, not 

 as a permanent feature in organic nature, but as a transitory 

 process towards the ultimate attainment of good. 



For all the reasons we just indicated, Darwin converted 

 the whole world where Lamarck had only aroused interest 

 among the learned. He made evolution comprehensible, 

 and having made it comprehensible in biology, which stirred 

 up an interest in every man, he by the same stroke caused 

 also cosmic evolution to be understood at last, and to be 

 accepted as a universal law, with the same readiness as gra- 

 vitation is accepted ; so that, although he neither originated 

 the idea of evolution, and although general evolutionary 

 law had been demonstrated ; yet, Darwin holds the highest 

 place amongst evolutionists ; because, whereas evolution was 

 only a vague and insignificant notion to most before him, 

 he attracted the attention of the world to it, and brought it 

 home to all men, high and low, learned and ignorant, with 

 equal force. 



