1882.] 
The u Species ” War Reopened. 
193 
quality in us was due to a mysterious vital force [i.e., im- 
material spirit or principle ] , out of the reach of Science, 
preoccupied the mind, and stood in the way of observation 
and experiment. But now it has become the immovable 
standpoint of physiology that a living creature is dependent 
for all its bodily functions upon the forces of inorganic mat- 
ter ; in other words, that our corporeal life is but the opera- 
tion of material atoms and material forces within the reach 
of experimental enquiry.” Comment upon this authoritative 
negation of spiritual agency in vital adtion seems super- 
fluous. — R. L. 
I. THE “ SPECIES ” WAR REOPENED.* 
OW that the dodlrine of Evolution is generally ac- 
cepted by competent authorities, and now men of 
Science are settling undisturbed to the serious task 
of examining in detail how existing forms have arisen, they 
will doubtless feel no little surprise at a reopening of the 
original question. Yet this is actually done in the two 
treatises before us, though it must be admitted in a very 
different manner, and with very different degrees of ability. 
Mr. Newton Crosland writes in “ Light,” the accredited 
organ of the Spiritualists. We regret to perceive that this 
body seem to be entering upon a career of aggressive war 
against biological science. A few weeks ago there appeared 
in the same paper, under the ad captandum title “ Viola- 
tionism, or Sorcery in Science,” a hysterical onslaught on 
physiological experimentation, cunningly enough designed to 
arouse the fanaticism of the vulgar. Now we have an 
attack upon “ Darwinism,” in which the author demonstrates 
at least two things — his intense animus against the Evolu- 
tionist dodtrine, and his utter incapacity to deal with the 
question. In proof of this charge we need merely quote the 
following sentence : — “ Darwinism professes to expound 
some of the most important difficulties and aspedts of Crea- 
tion by a theory of Evolution based upon three (!) principles, 
termed — 1, the struggle for existence; 2, natural seledtion ; 
* Permanence and Evolution : an Inquiry into the supposed Mutability of 
Animal Types, by S. E. Bouverie-Pusey. London : Kegan Paul, Trench, 
and Co. 
Darwinism, by Newton Crosland.— “ Light,” for February 25th, 1882. 
