CuAP. XIV. CONCLUSION. 429 



been inherited from a remote period to llie present day. On 

 the view of each organic being with all its separate parts hav- 

 ing been specially created, how utterly inexplicable it is that 

 (Mgans bearing the plain stamp of inutility, such as the teeth in 

 the embryonic calf or the shrivelled wings under the soldered 

 \ving-covers of many beetles, should so frequently occur ! Na- 

 ture may be said to have taken pains to reveal her schejne of 

 modification, by means of rudimentary organs, embryological 

 and homologous structures, but we wilfully will not understand 

 the scheme. 



I have now recapitulated the facts and considerations 

 which have thoroughly convinced me that species have been 

 modiiied, (hiring a long course of descent, chiefly through the 

 natural selection of numerous successive, slight, favorable va- 

 riations. I cannot believe that a false theory would explain, 

 as it seems to me that the theory of natural selection does ex- 

 plain, the several large classes of facts above specified. It is 

 no valid objection that science as yet throws no light on the 

 far higher problem of the essence or origin of life. A\'ho can 

 explain what is the essence of the attraction of gravity ? No 

 ()n<; now objects to following out the results consequent on 

 this xmknown element of attraction; notwithstanding that 

 Leibnitz formerly accused Newton of introducing "occult 

 qualities and miracles into philosophy." 



I see no good reason Avhy the views given in this volume 

 should shock the religious feelings of any one. It is satisfac- 

 tory, as showing how transient such impressions are, to remem- 

 Ixn- thiit the greatest discovery ever made by man, namely, the 

 law of the attraction of gravity, was also attacked by Leibnitz, 

 " as subversive of natural and inferentially of revealed reli- 

 gion." A celebrated author and divine has written to me that 

 " he has gradually learned to see that it is just as noble a con- 

 eej^tion of the Deity to believe that lie created a few original 

 forms capable of self-development into other and needful 

 forms, as to believe that He recpiired a fresh act of creation to 

 suj)])ly the voids caused by the action of His laws." 



Why, it may be asked, imtil recently did nearly all the 

 most eminent living naturalists and geologists reject this view 

 of tin; mutability of species. It cannot be asserted that 

 organic b(Mngs in a state of nature are subject to no variation; 

 it caimot be jiroved that the amount of variation in the course 

 of long ages is a limited quantity ; no clear distinction has 



