30 BABWINISM TESTED BY 



and is indeed an attempt at a Mstory ot 

 development. Just what Lyell has done 

 for the history of the life of the earth, Dar- 

 win has attempted for that of the inhabi- 

 tants of our planet. The theory of "the 

 origin of species " is, therefore, no accidental 

 apparition, not the product of one individual 

 head, hut the true and legitimate offspring 

 of our inquiring age. Darwin's theory is a 

 necessity. 



The rules now, which Darwin lays down with 

 regard to the species of animals and plants, are 

 equally applicable to the organisms of laiiguages, 

 that is to say, as far as the main features are 

 concerned. 



To demonstrate this proposition is the 

 end and aim of these pages ; but we did not 

 deem it superfluous to point out in a general 

 way how one common character pervades 

 the whole cycle of the natural sciences — 

 among which ranks the science of language 



