v MR. DARWIN'S CRITICS 121 



has come over Mr. Darwin's critics. The mixture 

 of ignorance and insolence which, at first, character- 

 ised a large proportion of the attacks with which 

 he was assailed, is no longer the sad distinction of 

 anti-Darwinian criticism. Instead of abusive non- 

 sense, which merely discredited its writers, we read 

 essays, which are, at worst, more or less intelligent 

 and appreciative ; while, sometimes, like that 

 which appeared in the " North British Review " for 

 1867, they have a real and permanent value. 



The several publications of Mr. Wallace and Mr. 

 Mivart contain discussions of some of Mr. Darwin's 

 views, which are worthy of particular attention, not 

 only on account of the acknowledged scientific 

 competence of .these writers, but because they ex- 

 hibit an attention to those philosophical questions 

 which underlie all physical science, which is as rare 

 as it is needful. And the same may be said of an 

 article in the " Quarterly Review " for July 1871, 

 the comparison of which with an article in the 

 same Review for July 1860, is perhaps the best 

 evidence which can be brought forward of the 

 change which has taken place in public opinion 

 on " Darwinism." 



The Quarterly Reviewer admits "the certainty 

 of the action of natural selection " (p. 49) ; and 

 further allows that there is an a priori probability 

 in favour of the evolution of man from some lower 

 animal form, if these lower animal forms them- 

 selves have arisen by evolution. 



