CH. XVIII The Evolution of Evolution Theories 293 



hood. We read the curve of his moods, steadier than that 

 of most men, without any climax of speculative ecstasy, free 

 frpm any fall to a depth of pessimism. We hear his own 

 sincere voice in his simple autobiography, and even more 

 clearly perhaps in the unconstrainedness of his abundant 

 letters. There was seldom a great life so devoid of httle- 

 ness, seldom a record of thought so free from subtlety. 

 There seems to be almost nothing- hid which we could 

 wish revealed, or uncovered which we could wish hidden. 

 Darwin's life was as open as the country around his her- 

 mitage. 



Marcus Aurelius gives thanks in his roll of blessings 

 that he had not been suffered to keep quails ; so Darwin, in 

 recounting his mercies, does not forget to be grateful for 

 having been preserved from the snare of becoming a 

 specialist. From a more partial point of view, we have 

 reason to be thankful that he became a specialist, not in 

 one department, but in many. As a disciple of Linnaeus, 

 he described the species of barnacles in one volume, and 

 followed in the steps of Cuvier in anatomising them in 

 another. Of tissues and cells he knew less, being as 

 regards these items an antediluvian, and outside the guild 

 of those who dexterously wield the razor, and in so doing 

 observe the horoscope of the organism. Of protoplasm, 

 in regard to which modern biology says so much and knows 

 so little, he was not ignorant, for did he not study the 

 marvels of the state known as " aggregation " ? 



But it is not for special research that men are most 

 grateful to Darwin. Undoubtedly, if clear insight into the 

 world around us be esteemed in itself of value, the author 

 of Insectivorous Plants, The Fertilisation of Orchids, The 

 Movements of Plants, The Origin of Coral Reefs, The 

 Formation of Vegetable Mould, etc., runs no risk of being 

 forgotten. But though our possession of these results swells 

 the meed of praise, we usually regard them as outside of 

 Darwin's real work, which, as every one knows, was his 

 contribution to the theory of organic life. 



This contribution was threefold — (a) He placed the 

 theory of descent on a sure basis ; (b) he shed the light 



