*3 
Organic Evolution , Darwinism ami the Genesis of Species 
with serious consideration. But time brings about its re¬ 
venges One of the weak points of Darwin’s theory is that 
it largely ignores the effect of environment, of changes in 
the condition of life, and of effect of use and disuse of 
parts in modifying form and size. It was just these factors 
that Lamarck insisted on as being the prime causes of 
specific variation in animals. Naturalists are now coming 
to recognize the importance of these elements and the rise 
of a neo-Lamarckian school of evolutionists is a hopeful 
sign of progress toward a final solution of the great biolog¬ 
ical problem. 
Another important contribution to the question was the 
anonymous publication by Robert Chambers of his once 
famous Vestiges of Creation In this book the author put 
forth a generalized theory of evolution which affirmed that 
the various species of animals and plants had been produced 
in succession by the action of an unknown law of develop¬ 
ment aided by the conditions of environment. This book 
produced a great commotion in the intellectual world, but 
it was too general in its treatment — too lacking in detailed 
explanation of the methods of variation—to make it accept¬ 
able to naturalists. 
Such was the position of development theory when in 
1859 Charles Darwin put forth his epoch-making book. 
The Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection. Darwin’s 
theory as he first enunciated it was a comparatively simple 
one. It did not profess to deal with the philosophical aspect 
of the question, for which its author was, both by nature 
and training unfitted, nor did Darwin attempt to consider 
it in its ethical relations. He offered it as a naturalist’s 
solution of the problem concerning the method by which 
the flora and fauna of the earth became what they now are. 
In doing this he assumes the existence of matter and life, 
but does not attempt to account for their origin further than 
to attribute them to a Creator, which word, however, he 
does not-define. He affirms the efficiency of physical causes 
to produce the effects which are manifested in the variety 
