PEEFACE ix 



earlier, the Preface being dated March 20, 1909. 

 I also desire to acknowledge the kind permission 

 to pubhsh Section IV from Darwin Celebration, 

 Cambridge, June, 1909. Speeches delivered at the 

 Banquet held on June 23rd, printed for private cir- 

 culation by Sir George Darwin and Mr. Francis 

 Darwin. 



In these later years the multitudes seem, for 

 the moment at least, to recognize a prophet in 

 every reed shaken with the wind. It would be 

 interesting to know the number of forgotten 

 works, of works soon to be forgotten, of works 

 dead before they were born, which have been 

 proclaimed as * the most important contribu- 

 tion to biological thought since the appearance 

 of the Origin of Species'. I would that the 

 multitudes were not mere followers of the fleeting 

 scientific fashions of a day, but that they were 

 right in their intuitions : I would that Newtons 

 and Darwins might arise in every generation. 

 I cannot admit that the inability to see them 

 on every side is merely the natural consequence 

 of a cynical and pessimistic spirit. I am fully 

 aware of the intellectual rigidity that is so prone 

 to develop with the passing years ; but to know 

 the danger is in some measure to be armed against 

 it. I have steadily endeavoured to keep my 

 mind elastic and flexible ; and, in my own special 



