332 BIOLOGY AND ITS MAKERS 



first third of the nineteenth century was that taken by 

 Lamarck, he being the first to read in the series the history 

 of life upon the globe, weaving it into a connected story, and 

 establishing thereon a doctrine of organic evolution. It was 

 not until after 1859, however, that the truth of this conclusion 

 was generally admitted, and when it was accepted it was not 

 through the earlier publications of Lamarck, but through 

 the arguments of later observers, founded primarily upon 

 the hypothesis set forth by Darwin. There were several 

 gradations of scientific opinion in the period, short as it 

 was, between the time of Cuvier and of Darwin; and this 

 intermediate period was one of contention and warfare 

 between the theologians and the geologists. Cuvier had 

 championed the theory of a succession of catastrophes, and 

 since this hypothesis did not come into such marked conflict 

 with the prevailing theological opinion as did the views of 

 Lamarck, the theologians were ready to accept the notion of 

 Cuvier, and to point with considerable satisfaction to his 

 unique position as an authority. 



Lyell. — In 1830 there was published an epoch-making 

 work in geology by Charles Lyell (Fig. 97), afterward 

 Sir Charles, one of the most brilliant geologists of all the 

 world. This British leader of scientific thought showed the 

 prevalence of a uniform law of development in reference to 

 the earth's surface. He pointed out the fact that had been 

 maintained by Hutton, that changes in the past were to be 

 interpreted in the light of what is occurring in the present. 

 By making a careful study of the work performed by the 

 waters in cutting down the continents and in transferring the 

 eroded material to other places, and distributing it in the form 

 of deltas; by observing also the action of frost and wind and 

 wave; by noting, furthermore, the conditions under which 

 animals die and are subsequently covered up in the matrix 

 of detritus — by all this he showed evidences of a series of 



