CHAPTER III. 

 DARWINISM ATTACKED. 



ATTACKS on Darwinism have been made, of course, ever 

 since there was any Darwinism to attack. In those first days 

 (and months and years) after the "Origin of 

 S P ecies " was published there were the liveliest 

 of times for Darwin and his supporters; or 

 rather chiefly for the supporters. Darwin wisely kept 

 aloof from the debates. But for the first band of followers 

 with the indefatigable, the brilliant, and wholly competent 

 Huxley at its head, there was no lack of opportunities for 

 jousting. The issue was never doubtful; Huxley and his 

 informed and equipped scientific companions against the 

 scientifically ignorant, angry, incautious, and dogmatic 

 Bishop Wilberforces had unfair odds. The victory came 

 swiftly and brilliantly to the Darwinians. At this time there 

 was little distinction made between Darwinism and Evolu- 

 tion. It was really a battle by the theologians against the 

 theory of descent. And the theory of descent was, and is, 

 invulnerable. 



Since those warring days of the '6o's the theory of 



descent has been assailed no more, that is in any important 



or even interesting way. And the true Darwin- 



endfi^cSism" ism ' tlie selection doctrine, has also been sub- 

 of Darwinism, ject to no conspicuous and popularly recognised 

 attack. The educated public accepted the re- 

 sults of the first battle as .final, and it quietly began to 

 rearrange its thought and to some degree its actual ways 



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