ORIGIN OF LIFE. 7 
thought to be more harmonious with the observed 
order of natural phenomena. This has been the case 
even with our chief exponents of Evolution. They 
have themselves had to unlearn much which they had 
previously learned. The doctrine of Evolution has 
thus been developed only by the sacrifice of many 
previous early beliefs and modes of thought. But it 
often happens that an old belief will—unknown per- 
haps to the person himself—leave decided traces of 
its previous influence, and thus prevent for a time the 
full realization or adoption of all the logical conse- 
quences of new views. This vestige of the old state 
of opinion or habit of thought is more especially apt 
to remain in directions where unexplained facts still 
_exist and strong prepossessions or prejudices bar the 
way. Some modes of this half-unconscious inconsist- 
ency may become obvious to one worker or thinker, 
and some to another, according to the particular 
direction which his investigations or thoughts may 
have taken; and if they are of an important nature 
such inconsistencies should be pointed out from time 
to time. With the view, therefore, of strengthening 
an hypothesis which I, in common with so many 
other workers in science, believe to be true, I now 
venture to allude to certain apparent anomalies in the 
declared opinions of the most prominent upholders of 
the doctrine of Evolution in this country. It seems 
