"•^ Mr. Mivart on Darwinism. ^^ 



and accept the results, yet this disposition is well- 

 nigh paralysed by a strong mental bias towards 

 considering facts only in their supposed bearing on 

 certain assumed practical needs of theology. An 

 evident struggle between theological predispositions 

 and acquired scientific habits has interfered seriously 

 with the author's balance of mind ; and the net result 

 is a book by no means commendable for scientific 

 spirit, though it exhibits praiseworthy industry, and 

 often considerable ingenuity and dialectical skill. 

 • So far is Mr. Mivart from occupying the position 

 of a disinterested student of nature that his numerous 

 misrepresentations can be explained without neces- 

 sarily charging him with a conscious willingness to 

 be unfair. Sometimes, at least, he appears to misre- 

 present scientific thinkers through sheer incapacity 

 to comprehend the motives which guide them. Mr. 

 Darwin's candour, for example, in modifying or 

 retracting hasty inferences, implies an attitude of 

 mind which our author seems quite unable to appre- 

 ciate. The nature of Mr. Darwin's inquiries involves 

 him in the consideration of thousands of exceedingly 

 complex cases of causation, for the unravelling of 

 which a vast experience, the most delicate analytic 

 power, and a prodigious memory for details are 

 absolutely essential. The general sagacity of his 



D 



