84 HAECKEL: HIS LIFE, WORK, AND COMPANIONS 
time give rise to species, and in still longer periods to 
differences that are generic. Thus in Darwin’sown words : 
‘From the war of nature, from famine and death, the most 
exalted object which we are capable of conceiving, namely, 
the production of the highest animals directly follows. 
As Darwin made these inductions from his store of 
facts, an essay came to him with a request that it might be 
read before the Linnean Society. It was sent from the 
Malay peninsula, where its author, Mr. Alfred Russel 
Wallace, a comparatively young Welsh land surveyor, was 
making search for natural history treasures, as he had 
previously done in the valley of the Amazon. ‘The paper 
was entitled: ‘‘ The tendency of varieties to depart from 
their original type ;’’ and to Darwin’s surprise it contained 
exactly the same theory as his own. ‘The essay was read 
at the Society in 1858, as its author desired; and at the 
instance of Lyell and Hooker, a short paper by Darwin, 
and a letter a year before written by him to Asa Gray were 
sent with it. Darwin says that the paper by Mr. Wallace 
was admirably written ; while his own letter to Gray was 
not intended for publication, and was therefore but an off- 
hand statement of his conclusions. Neither at the Society’s 
meeting nor in its journal did these papers attract special 
notice. Prof. Haughton was the only man of note to say 
in print a word about them; aud his comment was: 
‘‘ What in these papers is true is not new, and what is new 
is not true.’’ 
In the following year, 1859, the ‘‘ Origin of Species ”’ 
was published. If the Linnean papers were cooly received, 
thewarmth, friendly and otherwise, which greeted appearance 
of the complete statement in that book made up for earlier 
indifference. ‘That work kindled a discussion remarkable 
for its keenness, duration and marked ability of the dispu- 
tants on both sides. Darwin met his earnest opponents 
with respect and dignity ; and all ridicule with indifference. 
For the rest, here it must suffice to say, when Darwin’s 
