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, 
proceed from friends alone, but quite as much from 
antagonists, 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 Darwin- 
ism 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 
