REVIEWS—ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES. 391 
very interesting to himself; a controversial subject upon which he en- 
tertained a very strong opinion, which he was glad of any opportunity 
of defending; a subject which is at this time engaging much of the 
attention of the scientific world, and exciting the curiosity of the pub-. 
lic, so as to promise as much popularity as any which could be chosen ; 
but a subject involving the most obscure and difficult questions con- 
nected with natural science, and therefore least adapted for those 
whose ordinary employments prevent their giving much time to such 
pursuits, and who cannot be presumed to possess the preliminary 
knowledge requisite for any useful judgment on the points at issue. 
It may be that Professor Huxley calculated on an audience very dif- 
ferent in character from that which he was nominally addressing ; it 
may be that he relied on his clear and forcible style of address to re- 
move the difficulties in his way, and that himself, holding his views 
to be true and useful, he slighted the uneasiness or alarm which it 
creates in the minds of many, but there are numbers to whom it will 
appear very questionable whether he would not better have fulfilled 
his official duty by offering instruction respecting the established prin- 
ciples and interesting facts of natural science, rather than speculative 
views on the most recondite question his science afforded. 
It would be useless, however, to press this objection now, and 
although there are undoubtedly fitnesses of things, in respect to times. 
and places for propounding opinions, the mischief which it is possible 
to do by their violation is temporary and transient whilst we may 
rely on the great general law that, whatever may appear at the 
moment or to the partial view of individuals, discussion must ulti- 
mately promote the cause of truth. 
Another preliminary observation is, we think, called for before we 
endeavour to estimate the force of Prof. Huxley’s argument. He has _ 
more than once insisted on the origin of species being an inquiry 
essential to their scientific study, and there being before the public no 
hypothesis on the subject, entitled to the least attention, except the 
Darwinian, and he takes this to be a presumption in its favour, enti- 
tling it, at least for the present, to guide the course of inquiry on the 
subject. Now it appears to us that the preliminary inquiry is, 
whether there exist in nature any forms of fixed character, varying 
only within certain limits, and through an indefinite succession of 
generations remaining continually the same; or whether organic 
structures are subject to gradual modification, so as after a certain 
succession of generations to be found very materially different from 
