88 THE PROBLEM OF EVOLUTION 



I was not informed of these new arrangements 

 made by the ' majority,' until I arrived at the hall 

 in the Zoological Gardens on the evening of the 

 debate, when Professor Plate communicated them 

 to me. 1 



I understood that the ' majority,' to which 

 Plate alluded, was the majority of the Committee 

 members, for in my opinion they, and they alone, 

 were justified in making any arrangements, if I 

 were to be excluded from all deliberations con- 

 cerning them. Consequently I did not appeal to the 

 President, Professor Waldeyer, against this altera- 

 tion in the arrangements for the debate, although 

 it was most disadvantageous to me. It was only 

 on the following day that I learnt that the majority 

 in question was the majority of my opponents, and 

 that the organising Committee had not been con- 

 sulted about the alteration, any more than I myself 

 had been. 



Professor Waldeyer took the chair at 8.30 P.M., 

 and managed the debate with great discretion. 

 About two thousand people were present, and 

 followed the proceedings to the end with deep atten- 



1 Professor Plate wrote to me subsequently to assure me that on this 

 occasion he had expressly mentioned the majority of my opponents. I 

 cannot remember having heard these last words, but even if they escaped 

 me, that circumstance does not in any way affect the subjective fact which 

 I have just stated, viz. that I believed him to be speaking of the majority 

 of the Committee. Professor Plate assured me further that, at the meeting 

 of my opponents on February 18th, he had supported the arrangements to 

 which on February 12th I had given my assent. I notice this assurance 

 with gratitude. 



