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a　fallacy。

They　come　again　and　again；　like　tunes　in　a　barrel…organ。　　Therefore
Darwin's　theory　is　a　fallacy。

Hallam　made　a　mistake；　and　in　his　History　of　the　Middle　Ages；　p。　398；
he　corrects　himself。　　Therefore　Darwin's　theory　is　wrong。

Dr。　Darwin　in　the　last　century　said　the　same　thing　as　his　son　or
grandson　says　nowwill　the　writer　of　the　article　refer　to　anything
bearing　on　natural　selection　and　the　struggle　for　existence　in　Dr。
Darwin's　work？and　a　foolish　nobleman　said　something　foolish　about
monkey's　tails。　　Therefore　Darwin's　theory　is　wrong。

Giordano　Bruno　was　burnt　in　the　year　1600　A。D。；　he　was　a　Pantheist；
therefore　Darwin's　theory　is　wrong。

And　finally；　as　a　clinching　argument；　in　one　of　the　neighbouring
settlements　there　is　a　barrel…organ　which　plays　its　psalm　tunes　in
the　middle　of　its　jigs　and　waltzes。　　After　this　all　lingering　doubts
concerning　the　falsehood　of　Darwin's　theory　must　be　at　an　end；　and
any　person　of　ordinary　common　sense　must　admit　that　the　theory　of
development　by　natural　selection　is　unwarranted　by　experience　and
reason。

The　articles　conclude　with　an　implied　statement　that　Darwin　supposes
the　Polar　bear　to　swim　about　catching　flies　for　so　long　a　period　that
at　last　it　gets　the　fins　it　wishes　for。

Now；　however　sceptical　I　may　yet　feel　about　the　truth　of　all　Darwin's
theory；　I　cannot　sit　quietly　by　and　see　him　misrepresented　in　such　a
scandalously　slovenly　manner。　　What　Darwin　does　say　is　that　sometimes
diversified　and　changed　habits　may　be　observed　in　individuals　of　the
same　species；　that　is　that　there　are　eccentric　animals　just　as　there
are　eccentric　men。　　He　adduces　a　few　instances　and　winds　up　by　saying
that　〃in　North　America　the　black　bear　was　seen　by　Hearne　swimming　for
hours　with　widely　open　mouth；　thus　catchingalmost　like　a　whale
insects　in　the　water。〃　　This　and　nothing　more。　　（See　pp。　201　and
202。）

Because　Darwin　says　that　a　bear　of　rather　eccentric　habits　happened
to　be　seen　by　Hearne　swimming　for　hours　and　catching　insects　almost
like　a　whale；　your　writer　（with　a　carelessness　hardly　to　be
reprehended　in　sufficiently　strong　terms）　asserts　by　implication　that
Darwin　supposes　the　whale　to　be　developed　from　the　bear　by　the　latter
having　had　a　strong　desire　to　possess　fins。　　This　is　disgraceful。

I　can　hardly　be　mistaken　in　supposing　that　I　have　quoted　the　passage
your　writer　alludes　to。　　Should　I　be　in　error；　I　trust　he　will　give
the　reference　to　the　place　in　which　Darwin　is　guilty　of　the　nonsense
that　is　fathered　upon　him　in　your　article。

It　must　be　remembered　that　there　have　been　few　great　inventions　in
physics　or　discoveries　in　science　which　have　not　been　foreshadowed　to
a　certain　extent　by　speculators　who　were　indeed　mistaken；　but　were
yet　more　or　less　on　the　right　scent。　　Day　is　heralded　by　dawn；　Apollo
by　Aurora；　and　thus　it　often　happens　that　a　real　discovery　may　wear
to　the　careless　observer　much　the　same　appearance　as　an　exploded
fallacy；　whereas　in　fact　it　is　widely　different。　　As　much　caution　is
due　in　the　rejection　of　a　theory　as　in　the　acceptation　of　it。　　The
first　of　your　writers　is　too　hasty　in　accepting；　the　second　in
refusing　even　a　candid　examination。

Now；　when　the　Saturday　Review；　the　Cornhill　Magazine；　Once　a　Week；
and　Macmillan's　Magazine；　not　to　mention　other　periodicals；　have
either　actually　and　completely　as　in　the　case　of　the　first　two；
provisionally　as　in　the　last　mentioned；　given　their　adherence　to　the
theory　in　question；　it　may　be　taken　for　granted　that　the　arguments　in
its　favour　are　sufficiently　specious　to　have　attracted　the　attention
and　approbation　of　a　considerable　number　of　well…educated　men　in
England。　　Three　months　ago　the　theory　of　development　by　natural
selection　was　openly　supported　by　Professor　Huxley　before　the　British
Association　at　Cambridge。　　I　am　not　adducing　Professor　Huxley's
advocacy　as　a　proof　that　Darwin　is　right　（indeed；　Owen　opposed　him
tooth　and　nail）；　but　as　a　proof　that　there　is　sufficient　to　be　said
on　Darwin's　side　to　demand　more　respectful　attention　than　your　last
writer　has　thought　it　worth　while　to　give　it。　　A　theory　which　the
British　Association　is　discussing　with　great　care　in　England　is　not
to　be　set　down　by　off…hand　nicknames　in　Canterbury。

To　those；　however；　who　do　feel　an　interest　in　the　question；　I　would
venture　to　give　a　word　or　two　of　advice。　　I　would　strongly　deprecate
forming　a　hurried　opinion　for　or　against　the　theory。　　Naturalists　in
Europe　are　canvassing　the　matter　with　the　utmost　diligence；　and　a　few
years　must　show　whether　they　will　accept　the　theory　or　no。　　It　is
plausible；　that　can　be　decided　by　no　one。　　Whether　it　is　true　or　no
can　be　decided　only　among　naturalists　themselves。　　We　are　outsiders；
and　most　of　us　must　be　content　to　sit　on　the　stairs　till　the　great
men　come　forth　and　give　us　the　benefit　of　their　opinion。

I　am；　Sir；
Your　obedient　servant；
A。　M。



DARWIN　ON　SPECIES：　　＇From　the　Press；　March　14th；　1863。＇



To　the　Editor　of　the　Press。

SirA　correspondent　signing　himself　〃A。　M。〃　in　the　issue　of　February
21st　says：　〃Will　the　writer　（of　an　article　on　barrel…organs）　refer
to　anything　bearing　upon　natural　selection　and　the　struggle　for
existence　in　Dr。　Darwin's　work？〃　　This　is　one　of　the　trade　forms　by
which　writers　imply　that　there　is　no　such　passage；　and　yet　leave　a
loophole　if　they　are　proved　wrong。　　I　will；　however；　furnish　him　with
a　passage　from　the　notes　of　Darwin's　Botanic　Garden：…

〃I　am　acquainted　with　a　philosopher　who；　contemplating　this　subject；
thinks　it　not　impossible　that　the　first　insects　were　anthers　or
stigmas　of　flowers；　which　had　by　some　means　loosed　themselves　from
their　parent　plant；　and　that　many　insects　have　gradually　in　long
process　of　time　been　formed　from　these；　some　acquiring　wings；　others
fins；　and　others　claws；　from　their　ceaseless　efforts　to　procure　their
food　or　to　secure　themselves　from　injury。　　The　anthers　or　stigmas　are
therefore　separate　beings。〃

This　passage　contains　the　germ　of　Mr。　Charles　Darwin's　theory　of　the
origin　of　species　by　natural　selection：…

〃Analogy　would　lead　me　to　the　belief　that　all　animals　and　plants　have
descended　from　one　prototype。〃

Here　are　a　few　specimens；　his　illustrations　of　the　theory：…

〃There　seems　to　me　no　great　difficulty　in　believing　that　natural
selection　has　actually　converted　a　swim…bladder　into　a　lung　or　organ
used　exclusively　for　respiration。〃　　〃A　swim…bladder　has　apparently
been　converted　into　an　air…breathing　lung。〃　　〃We　must　be　cautious　in
concluding　that　a　bat　could　not　have　been　formed　by　natural　selection
from　an　animal　which　at　first　could　only　glide　through　the　air。〃　　〃I
can　see　no　insuperable　difficulty　in　further　believing　it　possible
that　the　membrane…connected　fingers　and　forearm　of　the　galeopithecus
might　be　greatly　lengthened　by　natural　selection；　and　this；　as　far　as
the　organs　of　flight　are　concerned；　would　convert　it　into　a　bat。〃
〃The　framework　of　bones　being　the　same　in　the　hand　of　a　man；　wing　of
a　bat；　fin　of　a　porpoise；　and　leg　of　a　horse；　the　same　number　of
vertebrae　forming　the　neck　of　the　giraffe　and　of　the　elephant；　and
innumerable　other　such　facts；　at　once　explain　themselves　on　the
theory　of　descent　with　slow　and　slight　successive　modifications。〃

I　do　not　mean　to　go　through　your　correspondent's　letter；　otherwise　〃I
could　hardly　reprehend　in　sufficiently　strong　terms〃　（and　all　that
sort　of　thing）　the　perversion　of　what　I　said　about　Giordano　Bruno。
But　〃ex　uno　disce　omnes〃I　am；　etc。；

〃THE　SAVOYARD。〃



DARWIN　ON　SPECIES：　　＇From　the　Press；　18　March；　1863。＇



To　the　Editor　of　the　Press。

SirThe　〃Savoyard〃　of　last　Saturday　has　shown　that　he　has　perused
Darwin's　Botanic　Garden　with　greater　attention　than　myself。　　I　am
obliged　to　him　for　his　correction　of　my　carelessness；　and　have　not
the　smallest　desire　to　make　use　of　any　loopholes　to　avoid　being
〃proved　wrong。〃　　Let；　then；　the　〃Savoyard's〃　assertion　that　Dr。
Darwin　had　to　a　certain　extent　forestalled　Mr。　C。　Darwin　stand；　and
let　my　implied　denial　that　in　the　older　Darwin's　works　passages
bearing　on　natural　selection；　or　the　struggle　for　existence；　could　be
found；　go　for　nought；　or　rather　let　it　be　set　down　against　me。

What　follows？　　Has　the　〃Savoyard〃　（supposing　him　to　be　the　author　of
the　article　on　barrel…organs）　adduced　one　particle　of　real　argument
the　more　to　show　that　the　real　Darwin's　theory　is　wrong？

The　elder　Darwin　writes　in　a　note　that　〃he　is　acquainted　with　a
philosopher　who　thinks　it　not　impossible　that　the　first　insects　were
the　anthers　or　stigmas　of　flowers；　which　by　some　means；　etc。　etc。〃
This　is　mere　speculation；　not　a　definite　theory；　and　though　the
passage　above　as　quoted　by　the〃　Savoyard〃　certainly　does　contain　the
germ　of　Darwin's　theory；　what　is　it　more　than　the　crudest　and　most
unshapen　germ？　　And　in　what　conceivable　way　does　this　discovery　of
the　egg　invalidate　the　excellence　of　the　chicken？

Was　there　ever　a　great　theory　yet　which　was　not　more　or　less
developed　from　previous　speculations　which　were　all　to　a　certain
extent　wrong；　and　all　ridiculed；　perhaps　not　undeservedly；　at　the
time　of　their　appearance？　　There　is　a　wide　difference　between　a
speculation　and　a　theory。　　A　speculation　involves　the　notion　of　a　man
climbing　into　a　lofty　position；　and　descrying　a　somewhat　remote
object　which　he　cannot　fully　make　out。　　A　theory　implies　that　the
theorist　has　looked　long　and　steadfastly　till　he　is　clear　in　his　own
mind　concerning　the　nature　of　the　thing　which　he　is　beholding。　　I
submit　that　the　〃Savoyard〃　has　unfairly　made　use　of　the　failure　of
certain　speculations　in　order　to　show　that　a　distinct　theory　is
untenable。

Let　it　be　granted　that　Darwin's　theory　has　been　foreshadowed　by
numerous　previous　writers。　　Grant　the　〃Savoyard〃　his　Giordano　Bruno；
and　give　full　weight　to　the　barrel…organ　in　a　neighbouring
settlement；　I　would　still　ask；　has　the　theory　of　natural　development
of　species　ever　been　placed　in　anything　approaching　its　present　clear
and　connected　form　before　the　appearance　of　Mr。　Darwin's　book？　　Has
it　ever　received　the　full　attention　of　the　scientific　world　as　a　duly
organised　theory；　one　presented　in　a　tangible　shape　and　demanding
investi