246 WOMAN IN SCIENCE 



had caused in Great Britain and America. Her preface 

 to the work of the English naturalist, in which she indi- 

 cates the results which flow from an acceptance of the 

 transformist theory, created a veritable storm in both re- 

 ligious and scientific circles. 



So gratified was Madame Royer by the impression made 

 by this preface and so pleased was she with the contro- 

 versy which she had started, that she expanded her sum- 

 mary of the theory of evolution as therein given and pub- 

 lished it in 1870 under the title of Origine de I'Homme et 

 de Societes. This production was so revolutionary in char- 

 acter and so subversive of teachings long held sacred that 

 it provoked an indignant protest from all quarters, and the 

 author was at once ranked with such radical exponents of 

 the new science as Voght, Biichner and Hseckel. 



After the appearance of this production, she wrote nu- 

 merous other works, several of them on subjects relating 

 to natural science, especially in its connection with anthro- 

 pology and prehistoric archaeology. And so great was her 

 breadth of view and so exceptional was her grasp of all 

 subjects discussed by her that Renan declared of her, Elle 

 est presque un homme de genie She is almost a man of 

 genius. 



Mme. Royer was frequently spoken of as a candidate for 

 the French Institute, but she was so well aware of the 

 prejudices against the admission of women to membership 

 in this learned body that she never allowed herself to con- 

 sider the proposal seriously. She was certainly a brainy 

 woman, and in her own department of intellectual effort 

 she exhibited as much talent as did George Sand and Mme. 

 de Stael in literature and history. 



An entirely different type of woman from the radical and 

 disputatious Mme. Royer was the charming and cultured 

 lady, Miss Eleanor Ormerod, her contemporary, who, in her 

 chosen department of science, won both fame and the last- 

 ing gratitude of her fellowmen. 



