THE DOCTRINE OF DESCENT. 17 



specially investigating it, without even practically 

 testing and refuting the most weighty arguments in 

 its favour ? To this question there is but one answer. 

 Virchow is not generally intimate with the modern 

 doctrine of evolution, and does not possess that know- 

 ledge of natural science which is indispensable for any 

 well-grounded judgment on it. 



After collecting and carefully reading all that 

 Virchow, during many years, had written against 

 evolution, I arrived at the conviction that he had not 

 thoroughly read either Darwin's great work on the 

 Origin of Species, nor any other work on the theory of 

 descent, nor had he thought the matter out with such 

 attention as so serious and intricate a subject abso- 

 lutely demands. Virchow did with these works as it 

 has been his well-known custom to do with many 

 others he hastily turned over the pages, caught at a 

 few leading words, and without any farther trouble 

 he has discoursed upon them, and, which is worst 

 of all, has perpetuated these discourses through the 

 press. 



To excuse this conduct, and to account for Virchow's 

 enigmatical position in the battle of evolution, we 

 must consider what changes this highly-gifted and 

 meritorious man has gone through in the course of the 

 last thirty years. The most important and fruitful 

 part of his life and labours was indisputably during 



