224 Luck, or Cunning ? 
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 perhaps 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 philosophers 
and speculators might have taken a century or two more 
“to establish 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. Darwin’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 Ray 
Lankester hail him not many years ago as the “ greatest 
of living men.’’* 
It is ill for any man’s fame that he should be praised so 
extravagantly. Nobody ever was as good as Mr. Darwin 
looked, and a counterblast to such a hurricane of praise 
as has been lately blowing will do no harm to his ultimate 
reputation, even though it too blow somewhat fiercely. 
Art, character, literature, religion, science (I have named 
them in alphabetical order), thrive best in a breezy, 
bracing air ; I heartily hope I may never be what is com- 
monly called successful in my own lifetime—and if I go on 
as I am doing now, I have a fair chance of succeeding in 
not succeeding. 
* “ Degeneration,”’ 1880, p, 10, 
