I885.J 
Mr. Darwin's Masterpiece. 
453 
The second main point discussed in Chapter II is like- 
Er t ‘ a “ y W the S P here of naturaf scien^ On 
is made •— a SUltab e c l uarter we fir >d the following answer 
varieties IndsnlcieT ^ th f e . sh ° uld be features of similarity between 
S^ISS be- 
and design C ° me AnaT ^ harm^y^tL^saml' bJndo? origS 
sa y , r p ^ c^SSKLSSSS b L?ok 
fn'rf>°!- ,dentlt y between varieties and species: they might* be either^ there 
Sli? Scl “ FCO ' ° f °" C Side ° f ,he “ a S a *nst every^rule 
but I must confess to much hesitation in reckoning this 
a vulnerable point. However, the quotation may serve to 
show that there is an altera pars. 
Thirdly, the Variation under Nature would probably have 
been dogmatic. The statement commencing the summary 
of the chapter on Natural Selection is the Origin of Sbecies 
and running thus If under changing conditions of life 
(( 01 S' anic beings present individual differences in almost 
every part of their structure, and this cannot be disputed ,” 
a statement containing various propositions which Mr. 
Darwin’s opponents do dispute, does not promise well. The 
styling saltatory Evolution a “false belief” (ii., 400) lends 
support to suspicions. J 
Fourthly, the fabt that Mr. Darwin repeatedly insists that 
variation under Nature is slower than variation under 
domestication raises the prosper of a large demand upon 
the scientific faith. 
Fifthly, having found the momentum of Darwinism, as it 
were, on the wane, we could not have looked forward with 
confidence to its resuscitation in the instalment next fol- 
lowing. Natural Selection might or might not have been 
fortified rather than its role minimised. 
An illustration must be given exhibiting Mr. Darwin’s in- 
capacity to comprehend rival theories aright. The saltations 
advocated by Dr. Mivart are by him distinguished from 
monstrosities. These latter are coupled with “ abortive and 
“feeble attempts at the evolutionary process.” By sup- 
posing that by monstrosity “ is meant some considerable 
“ deviation of structure generally injurious or not useful to 
* Italics the London Reviewer's (July, i860). 
