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the discovery. We have seen that the theory of Evolution was 

 proposed and advocated by Lamarck, but he was before his 

 time. The anonymous author of the " Vestiges of Creation," 

 which appeared in 1844, advocated a somewhat similar theory 

 which attracted much attention, but the belief that species were 

 immutable was not sensibly affected until Darwin's work 

 appeared. 



The difference between Lamarck and Darwin is essentially 

 this : Lamarck proposed the theory of Evolution ; Darwin 

 changed this into a doctrine, which is now guiding the investi- 

 gations in all departments of biology. Lamarck failed to real- 

 ize the importance of time, and the interaction of life on 

 life. Darwin, by combining these influences with those also 

 suggested by Lamarck, has shown how the existing forms on 

 the earth may have been derived from those of the past. 



This revolution has influenced Palaeontology as extensively 

 as any other department of science, and hence the new period 

 we are discussing. In the last epoch, species were repre- 

 sented independently, by parallel lines ; in the present period, 

 they are indicated by dependent, branching lines. The former 

 was the analytic, the latter is the synthetic, period. To-day, the 

 animals and plants now living are believed to be genetically 

 connected with those of the distant past ; and the palaeontologist 

 no longer deems species of the first importance, but seeks for 

 relationships and genealogies, connecting the past with the 

 present. "Working in this spirit, and with such a method, the 

 advance during the last decade has been great, and is an earnest 

 of what is yet to come. 



The progress of Palaeontology in Great Britain during the 

 present period has been great, and the general interest in the 

 science much extended. The views of Darwin soon found 

 acceptance here. Next to his discovery of " Natural Selection," 

 Darwin was fortunate in having so able and bold an expounder 

 as Huxley ; who was one of the first to adopt his theory, and 

 give it a vigorous support. Huxley's masterly researches have 



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