LECTURE XVI. 449 



These consequences are certainly formidable in some re- 

 spects. There can be no doubt that Darwin^s theory ignores a 

 personal creator, and his direct interference in the transforma- 

 tion and creation of specieSj there being no sphere of action for 

 such a being. Given the first starting point — the first organism 

 — all existing organisms are subsequently, by natural selection, 

 developed from it in a continuous manner through all geolo- 

 gical periods by the simple laws of transmission. There arise 

 no new species by any creative interference ; none disappear 

 by a divine mandate of destruction, since the natural course of 

 things, the process of development of all organisms and of 

 the earth is amply sufficient for the production of all these phe- 

 nomena. Even man is neither a distinct creature, formed in a 

 special manner, and difierently from all other animals, nor pro- 

 vided with a special soul and endowed with a divine breath of 

 life — he is only the highest product of a progressive natural 

 selection, and descends from the simious group standing next 

 to man. 



Darwin, it must here be stated, has nowhere in his work 

 touched upon these sequences, so that from the richness of 

 materials, and the logical treatment of the leading idea, the 

 work met at first with a very favourable reception in England 

 — a country so much attached to Biblical traditions. But when 

 it was perceived upon what base the theory rests, the storm 

 broke forth from all quarters of the compass ; nor has the 

 agitation as yet subsided. But we must not be disconcerted 

 by attacks of this kind ; let us then pursue our investigations. 



If it be once established, that species may generally success- 

 fully intermix and produce prolific mongrels ; if, on the other 

 hand, it is ascertained that for their adaptation to surrounding 

 conditions they may undergo changes, the limits of which are 

 not yet determined, there are two ways open in which new 

 forms may arise. There exists no doubt a conservative ele- 

 ment in the fixation of characters in unchanged external 

 media, otherwise the transformation would be infinite for 

 every type. Darwin has, perhaps, taken too little notice of 

 this element, as his chief object was to establish mutability, 

 which hitherto had been denied. 



GG 



