34 Mr. Mivart on Darwinism. [n. 



conclusions shows that Mr. Darwin possesses these 

 qualities in a degree rarely if ever surpassed by any 

 scientific inquirer ; yet once in a while he makes 

 a slip, forgets or overlooks some inconspicuous but 

 important fact, or sets down an inference without his 

 customary caution. Ordinary writers in such cases 

 too often prefer to stand by what they have written, 

 quietly ignoring criticisms that are hard to dispose of, 

 very much as Mr. Mivart, in reprinting his rejoinder 

 to Mr. Chauncey Wright, takes care not to inform the 

 reader of the surrejoinder which came from his 

 powerful antagonist. But Mr. Darwin finds it easy 

 to acknowledge himself mistaken. His interest in his 

 personal reputation for infallibility, and his zeal in 

 behalf of the doctrine he is defending, are held in 

 entire subordination to the main purpose of getting 

 the facts presented as fairly and completely as pos- 

 sible. This is the true scientific spirit — the spirit in 

 which to acquire lessons from nature, whether in the 

 world of mind or in the world of matter ; and when a 

 writer manifests this spirit so consistently as Mr. 

 Darwin, he is sure to win the respect and confidence 

 of his readers in the highest degree. An occasional 

 error goes for little when weighed in the scales against 

 entire disinterestedness. 



To a disinterested critic all this, one would think, 



