320 HAECKEL 



has been unable to eliminate its unpleasant conse- 

 quences. But the opportunity of enforcing his 

 gospel in the capital of the Empire, where the 

 Virchows and Du Bois-Eeymonds had ruled so 

 long made him deaf to the counsels of prudence. 

 He chose as his theme the controversy in regard 

 to evolution, and gave three spirited lectures. The 

 changed world came home to him vividly enough. 

 A vast and enthusiastic gathering of admirers in 

 one of the finest halls in Berlin : outside, at the 

 very door, his clerical opponents distributing hand- 

 bills that offered a choice selection of the most 

 venomous attacks on his person and work. The 

 lectures are now available in English under the 

 title of Last Words on Evolution. 



The present state of Haeckel's health forbids 

 him to hope that he will do any more active work. 

 As I write, he lies in his villa, in *'Haeckel Street," 

 overlooking the handsome Zoological Institute, 

 which he raised, and the little university town 

 that he has made known to the world. Beyond 

 the graceful hills that cradle it, he sees the dark 

 waves tossing that he has worked so hard to set in 

 motion. In Germany the alliance of the Emperor 

 with the Catholics saddens him, but — the Jesuits 

 are accepting evolution, over the fresh grave of 

 Virchow. Abroad his ideals, even his ideas, are 

 making triumphant progress. He thinks of the 

 vast changes that have taken place since he stood 

 out, almost alone, reckless of all but honour and 

 truth, at the Stettin Congress in 1863. ''Das Leben 

 ist schon," he still repeats. What will men say of 



