Preface 
knowledge second-hand to be the pioneers of 
biological science. 
We fear that this book will come as a rude shock 
to many scientific men. By way of consolation 
we may remind such that they will find them- 
selves in much the same position as that occupied 
by theologians immediately after the appearance 
of the Origen of Spectes. 
At that time theological thought was cramped 
by dogma. But the clergy have since recon- 
sidered their position, they have modified their 
views, and thus kept abreast of the times. 
Meanwhile scientific men have lagged behind. 
The blight of dogma has seized hold of them. 
They have adopted a creed to which all must 
subscribe or be condemned as heretics. Huxley 
said that the adoption of a creed was tantamount 
to suicide. We are endeavouring to save biology 
in England from committing suicide, to save 
it from the hands of those into which it has 
fallen. 
We would emphasise that it is not Darwinism 
we are attacking, but that which is erroneously 
called Neo-Darwinism. Neo-Darwinism is a 
pathological growth on Darwinism, which, we 
fear, can be removed only by a surgical 
operation. 
Darwin, himself, protested in vain against the 
length to which some of his followers were push- 
ing his theory. On p. 657 of the new edition 
IX 
