6 THE DOCTRINE OF DESCENT. 



through those to whom man appeared a being com- 

 pletely within the bounds of nature. But others, who 

 can think of man only as a being absolutely endowed 

 above his natural surroundings, could not fail to regard 

 as a sort of crime the deduction which an all-embrac- 

 ing theory applied with relentless logic to man. 



The interest with which the modern theory of kindred 

 and descent has been received does not, therefore, pro- 

 ceed from friends alone, but quite as much from antag- 

 onists, who perceive, more or less distinctly, the danger 

 with which the new doctrine threatens their standpoint 

 of miracle. 



Even in England the opposition to the great Eng- 

 lishman, with whose name the revolution is connected, 

 has been very considerable, especially since it became 

 evident that, true to himself, he includes man also within 

 the range of his researches, and purposes to apply to 

 him all the consequences of his doctrine. But it appears 

 to me that the dispute and the agitation are still keener 

 on this side of the channel, where Darwinism is meat 

 and drink to the daily papers, and to the philosophical 

 and theological periodicals. 



This phenomenon is obvious to all eyes, and we 

 are convinced of the deep importance of the subject 

 which, whether we take part for, or against it, must 

 influence our whole theory of life. Here too that has 

 happened to many, which so often happens in ques- 

 tions the difficulties of which are veiled by an apparent 

 general familiarity. Every one thinks himself capable 

 of deciding about life, and, since to non-scientific per- 

 sons the notorious relationship with apes is the alpha 

 and omega of the doctrine of Descent — since the most 



