3^5 
Gi'ppv Reprint 
167 
agree that students of Science should make known their discov- 
eries in such a wa}’ as to be understood by the layman. 
Page 23 
In making these remarks I have Biology in mind. Nothing 
is known of biology outside the ranks of biologists. Even Dar- 
win’s theory of evolution is most imperfecth' understood b}' the 
ordinaril}- educated man. Probably working biologists have no 
idea how much it is misunderstood. When the late Lord Salis- 
bur\" at Oxford said that there was nothing but pure chance to 
ensure the transmission of an advantageous variation he left out 
of consideration the survival of the fittest, an integral part o^ 
the theory. Sir Oliver Lodge, in “Man and the Universe’’ 
speaking of the persistence of favourable variations, says ; 
“Given their appearance, their development by struggle, inheri- 
tance and survival can be explained ; but that they arose spon- 
taneously, b}' random change, without a purpose, is an assertion 
that cannot be justified.’’ This passage .shows that the writer 
has not fully grasped the elements of the theory : the changes 
take place in every direction, but all variations, except those in 
favourable directions, are wiped out in the .struggle for existence. 
Such at anj" rate is the theory. When we consider that Darwin’s 
theories are not fully grasped by scholars, it is hardly to be won- 
dered at that the ordinarily educated man has but the vaguest 
ideas of biology, ideas made still more vague by the ordinaril)' 
educated writers in the dail)', weekly and monthly press. To the 
ordinary man, the word Darwinism means the theory that his 
ancestors were monkeys ; he will have heard the words “Sur- 
vival of the fittest’’ used as a catch phrase, but he will have no 
idea of their meaning. “Struggle for existence’’ will have no 
biological sense for him. “Selection’’ he will think has some- 
thing to do with sex. Biologists may say either that I am exag- 
gerating or that the educated men of 1115- acquaintance must be 
singularly few ; but I can assure them that such misconceptions 
are shared by very many men who have been educated at our 
public schools and universities which is generally, though per- 
