40 



The Na^turalisT, 



verify the existence of this force of natural selection, by which the 

 process could be rationally explained. 



We may conceive of life under the image of a great tree : from man 

 clear down to the little globule of protoplasm, one common life, repre- 

 sented and summed up in root and trunk. Toward the bottom runs 

 off a great trunk of the tree, and this represents the kingdom of fishes ; 

 limbs, branches, twigs, leaves, representing genera, species, individuals. 

 A little way above this, another limb branches out, and here is the . 

 reptilian life. A little above this is the bird-life of the world ; and 

 above this again, the mammal life, of which the highest is the anthro- 

 poid, or manlike ape. Above this, the highest branch Or outflowering 

 of it all, is man, having, as nearest of kin, the anthropoid ape, but not 

 his direct descendant in the sense that a child is produced from his 

 father. 



This, in a word, is Darwinism. I do not intend to discuss it. I 

 have argued it at length in a paper which I had the honour and the 

 pleasure of reading before the Literary and Philosophical Society in 

 January last, and which has subsequently been published by the 

 Council of the Society ; and I do not wish to re-traverse the ground. 

 I confine myseK on this occasion to narrative and exposition. 



The scientific world was profoundly impressed both by Darwin's 

 doctrine, and his method of supporting it. The theory was trenchantly 

 criticised by many naturalists, who, astounded by its boldness or 

 novelty, were not prepared ex animo, or without further consideration^ 

 to accept it ; and for this they are entitled rather to commendation 

 than blame. The most notable of the scientific assailants was Agassiz, 

 who made much of the candid admission of difficulties by Darwin 

 himself, and who attacked the theory as resting on unwarrantable 

 assumptions. But incredulity was soon followed by hesitation, and, 

 in no very long time, by endorsement and acceptance by many eminent 

 proselytes. A good many years have now elapsed since nearly every- 

 body having any sort of claim to speak in the name of science, went 

 over to " Darwinism," with or without reservations ; and, in the field 

 of science, the victory of " natural selection ^' and " evolution " may 

 be regarded as complete. Mr. Darwin himself might with propriety 

 be described as to the last a Darwinian under reserve, for his mind 

 was singularly open ; and, strange as it may seem, after all the noise 

 to which his published writings have given rise, no man (as I have 

 said) was ever less of a dogmatist or a bigot. He was pre-eminently 

 an enquirer. As a tireless interrogator of nature by observation and 

 inductive reasoning, he may be said to have fulfilled to its utmost 



