MR. GRANT ALLEN'S "CHARLES DARWIN." 259 



that there are many naturalists at the present day, 

 especially among those of the lower order of intelli- 

 gence, who, while accepting evolutionism in a general 

 way, and therefore always describing themselves as 

 Darwinians, do not believe, and often cannot even 

 understand, the distinctive Darwinian addition to the 

 evolutionary doctrine — namely, the principle of natural 

 selection. Such hazy and indistinct thinkers as these 

 are still really at the prior stage of Lamarckian evolu- 

 tion" (p. 199). 



Considering that Mr. Allen was at that stage 

 himself so recently, he might deal more tenderly 

 with others who still find " the distinctive Darwinian 

 adjunct" "unthinkable." It is perhaps, however, 

 because he remembers his difficulties that Mr. Allen 

 goes on as follows : — 



" It. is probable that in the future, while a formal 

 acceptance of Darwinism becomes general, the special 

 theory of natural selection will be thoroughly under- 

 stood and assimilated only by the more abstract and 

 philosophical minds." 



By the kind of people, in fact, wha read the 

 Spectator and are called thoughtful; and in point of 

 fact less than a twelvemonth after this passage was 

 written, natural selection was publicly abjured as " a 

 theory of the origin of species " by Mr. Romanes him- 

 self, with the implied approval of the Times. 



" Thus," continues Mr. Allen, " the name of Darwin 

 will often no doubt be tacked on to what are in reality 

 the principles of Lamarck." 



It requires no great power of prophecy to foretell 



