262 LUCK, OR CUNNING? 



book knowledge, of universal scientific ability, such 

 as never, perhaps, was lavished by any other man 

 upon any other department of study. His conspicuous 

 and beautiful love of truth, his unflinching candour, 

 his transparent fearlessness and honesty of purpose, 

 his childlike simplicity, his modesty of demeanour, 

 his charming manner, his affectionate disposition, his 

 kindliness to friends, his courtesy to opponents, his 

 gentleness to harsh and often bitter assailants, kindled 

 in the minds of men of science everywhere throughout 

 the world a contagious enthusiasm only equalled per- 

 haps among the disciples of Socrates and the great 

 teachers of the revival of learning. His name became 

 a rallying-point for the children of light in every 

 country" (pp. 196, 197). 



I need not quote more ; the sentence goes on to 

 talk about " firmly grounding " something which philo- 

 sophers and speculators might have taken a century or 

 two more " to estabHsh in embryo ; " but those who wish 

 to see it must turn to Mr. Allen's book. 



If I have formed too severe an estimate of Mr. Dar- 

 win's work and character — and this is more than likely — 

 the fulsomeness of the adulation lavished on him by his 

 admirers for many years past must be in some measure 

 my excuse. We grow tired even of hearing Aristides 

 called just, but what is so freely said about Mr. Darwin 

 puts us in mind more of what the people said about 

 Herod — 'that he spoke with the voice of a God, not of 

 a man. So we saw Professor Eay Lankester hail him 

 not many years ago as the " greatest of living men." * 



* Degeneration, 1880, p. 10. 



