30G 
how leligious aspirations and the tlevelopnient of intellect serve to 
distinguish man from other members of the animal creation. 
The real question involved in the “Darwinian Heresy” is 
(he says), “ whether the world is governed entirely by natural 
laws j 01 , whether these ‘ natural laws ’ are subject to the constant 
management and control of a siqierintending Providence.” lie 
admits the possibility of such interference without any apparent 
violation of the ordinary course of affixirs,” for “ we must be dull 
indeed if we advance far in life yet fail to perceive the existence of 
this influence j both dull and soulless if we refuse to recognise it 
even within the limits of our own exjicrience.” 
From these and other passages it will ajipear plain that, to my 
father, the doctrine of the “Origin of Species” as taught by Darwin, 
was, taken by itself, not satisfactory ; and it also appears that he 
was greatly influenced by a feeling that its acceptance identified 
man too closely with the animal creation, that the line of separation 
became indistinct if not inseparable, and consequently Materialism 
iisiiiped the place of all religious aspiration. Since his views were 
thus advocated great progress has been made in illustrating and 
substantiating the doctrine of Dvolution, and there are few 
^atuialists who do not accept it in some degree. Embryology in 
one direction, and Paleontology in another, have continued to 
supply evidence in its favour ; so that the opponents have found 
themselves standing on more and more uncertain ground, and their 
faith has in many instances been shaken. Indeed, had my father 
been living now, I am disposed to think that he xvould no longer 
have been regarded by Darwin as a “good man” whom ho would 
“very much like to stagger," and “to pervert," for he might have 
]xiodified his views on the origin of species without relinquishing 
his cherished faith in religion. 
Even in accepting all that is taught by Darwin, and others, on 
the structural development of the various conqdex forms of life, it 
is not necessary that we should yield up any fliith in Divine 
Providence j it is not necessary that the holding of such views 
should lead to Materialism. Ho greater mistake could be made. 
The concluding passage in ‘The Origin of Species’ (Gth edit. 
1878) is as follows : “There is grandeur in this view of life, with 
its several ])owers, having been originally breathed by the C'reator 
into a few forms or into one ; and that, whilst this planet has gone 
