PREFACE. XI 



Professor Tyndall has well said, when 

 alluding to mere theories, another name 

 for " only an hypothesis," that " without 

 verification, a theoretic conception is a 

 mere figment of the intellect." * And the 

 recently, but most deservedly " titled" 

 Sir Richard Owen has said, that " observa- 

 tion of the actual change of any one 

 species into another, through any or all of 

 the hypothesised transmuting influences, 

 has not yet been recorded" Hence the force 

 of Dr. Elanrs syllogism respecting hypo- 

 theses and theoretic conceptions: " The 

 theory," he argues, " of Organic Evolution 

 is an unverified theoretic conception. 

 Therefore, Organic Evolution is a mere 

 figment of the intellect" 



Without seeking to lessen the deservedly 

 high reputation of the late Mr. Darwin, 

 one of the most eminent Naturalists of the 

 19th century, and who treated religion in 

 a very different spirit from that adopted 



* Fragments of Science, by John Tyndall, F.B.S., 

 p. 469 ; fifth edition. 



