16 PREFACE. 



" Anything more complete and final in the way of refutation than 

 this Essay, I cannot well imagine." 



On the whole, perhaps it would have been as well if Mr 

 Huxley had not found it necessary to say anything more in this 

 matter, whether for " his own," or for or against anybody else. 

 At all events, " travesty " and " utter misrepresentation " return 

 straight home to the nest that hatched them. 



In a business reference, perhaps I may be allowed to add that 

 I sincerely apologise to the public for the length of time this 

 little essay (though republished in America) has been kept out 

 of print in Great Britain. That I was not the blameable cause 

 of this admits of an easy explanation. The public, too, will 

 perhaps kindly excuse the augmented price of the present 

 edition in consideration of the increase of matter it contains, as 

 well as of the fact that, at the price put upon it, the first edition 

 did not pay expenses. The very convincing proof of this is 

 that my late very liberal publishers, though they sold an edition 

 of 750 copies in a few months, found it necessary not only to 

 divide nothing, but to apply to me for three-and-fi'pence, which 

 had been expended in postage stamps. 



J. HUTCHISON STIELING. 



MARCH, 1872. 



