28 FIFTY YEARS OF DARWINISM 



have lost their wings by gradual disuse. He never alludes 

 to me, or only with bitter sneers, and coupled with Buffon 

 and the Vestiges.'^ 



In the historical sketch added to the later 

 editions of the Origin, Owen is the only writer 

 who is severely dealt with. In this introductory 

 section Darwin said that he was unable to decide 

 whether Owen did or did not claim to have 

 originated the theory of Natural Selection.^ 



If Owen had withdrawn from his former 

 attitude of antagonism, as did Lyell, he would be 

 entitled to the same honourable place in the 

 memory of future generations. As it is, we must 

 regret that he did not keep up the struggle to the 



' More Letters, i. 203. 



'^ Origin of Species, 6th Ed., xviii. See also the writer's article 

 in the Quarterly Review for July, 1909, 4-6. The following remark- 

 able episode, which I owe to the kindness of my friend Mr. Roland 

 Trimen, F.E.S., is quoted from p. 5 : — 



'At Down, about the end of the year 1867, when conversing 

 with Mr. Darwin about the already steadily increasing acceptance 

 of the " Origin " among thinking naturalists, in contrast to the 

 active hostility it encountered on and long after its first appearance 

 only eight years before, I referred to the heavy artillery brought to 

 bear against it in the "Quarterly" and "Edinburgh'' Reviews, 

 besides the host of other discharges from arms of minor calibre. 

 Mr. Darwin asked me if I knew who wrote the " Edinburgh " article, 

 and on my replying that I did not, but that I had heard Owen's name 

 suggested amongst others, he said, " Owen was the man." I ven- 

 tured to enquire whether he came to this conclusion from other 

 evidence than that afforded by the style, tone, etc., of the article 

 itself; and he answered, "The internal evidence made me almost 

 sure that only Owen could have written it ; but when I taxed him with 

 the authorship and he absolutely denied it — then I was quite certain." 



' Words of such keen satire came with extraordinary effect from 

 a man so eminently gentle and considerate, and so free from any 

 touch of jealousy or self-assertion aa Darwin. They made a deep 

 and lasting impression on me — all the more because they were 

 spoken very quietly and deliberately, and because they were the 

 only words of censure I heard used by the greatest of naturalists.' 



