1857-59 
SEDGWICK’S OPINION 
95 
Spread abroad in England the perception that 
9- deep significance underlies the structure of 
animals — a significance for which no stress or 
strain and no influence of heredity, and certainly 
ao mere practical utility, can account. The tem- 
porary overclouding of this perception through 
the retrograde influence of Darwin’s hypothesis 
of “ Natural Selection” is now slowly but surely 
beginning to pass away, for which no small thanks 
are due to the efforts of his zealous disciples, 
Professors Weismann and Romanes. It would be 
out of place to trouble readers with a re-statement 
of simple facts.® . . . We will confine ourselves to 
once more repeating that homologies for which 
Neither heredity nor utility will account reveal 
themselves in the limbs of chelonians, birds, beasts, 
and most notably in those of man.’ 
On the subject of the origin of species, Owen 
received the following letter from Sedgwick 
bated ‘Cambridge, Friday morning:’ — 
‘ My dear Owen, — . . . There are many 
things I want to talk to you about — about 
P^arwin’s book, &c., &c. Though the published 
better contains an outline of my objection to the 
theory, yet ’tis a mere sketch written without a 
shadow of a thought that the editor would send 
Jt to the Press ; but on seeing it in print I liked 
't far better than I expected, and there is not now 
® Readers interested in such questions may be referred to Proc, 
^ool. Soc., 1884, p. 462. 
