Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustration. See 65779-h.htm or 65779-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/65779/65779-h/65779-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/65779/65779-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/charlesdarwinthe00poulrich Transcriber’s Note Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). A caret character is used to denote superscription. A single character following the caret is superscripted (example: individ^l). Multiple superscripted characters are enclosed by curly brackets (example: affect^{te}). THE CENTURY SCIENCE SERIES Edited by Sir Henry E. Roscoe, D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.S. CHARLES DARWIN AND THE THEORY OF NATURAL SELECTION * * * * * * The Century Science Series. EDITED BY SIR HENRY E. ROSCOE, D.C.L., F.R.S. John Dalton and the Rise of Modern Chemistry. By Sir HENRY E. ROSCOE, F.R.S., &c. Major Rennell, F.R.S., and the Rise of Modern English Geography. By Sir CLEMENTS R. MARKHAM, C.B., F.R.S., President of the Royal Geographical Society. Justus von Liebig: his Life and Work (1803–1873). By W. A. SHENSTONE, F.I.C., Lecturer on Chemistry in Clifton College. The Herschels and Modern Astronomy. By AGNES M. CLERKE, Author of “A Popular History of Astronomy during the 19th Century,” &c. Charles Lyell and Modern Geology. By Professor T. G. BONNEY, F.R.S., &c. James Clerk Maxwell and Modern Physics. By R. T. GLAZEBROOK, F.R.S., Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. Humphry Davy, Poet and Philosopher. By T. E. THORPE, LL.D., F.R.S. Charles Darwin and the Theory of Natural Selection. By EDWARD B. POULTON, M.A., F.R.S., Hope Professor of Zoology at the University of Oxford, &c. _In Preparation._ Michael Faraday: his Life and Work. By Professor SILVANUS P. THOMPSON, F.R.S. Pasteur: his Life and Work. By M. ARMAND RUFFER, M.D., Director of the British Institute of Preventive Medicine. Hermann von Helmholtz. By A. W. RÜCKER, F.R.S., Professor of Physics in the Royal College of Science, London. CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED, _London; Paris & Melbourne_. * * * * * * [Illustration: _Photo by Mr. James C. Christie, F.G.S., Glasgow._ STATUE OF CHARLES DARWIN. (_By Boehm._) CENTRAL HALL OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY.] The Century Science Series CHARLES DARWIN AND THE THEORY OF NATURAL SELECTION by EDWARD B. POULTON M.A., F.R.S., F.G.S., F.L.S., ETC. Hope Professor of Zoology at the University of Oxford Corresp. Memb. of the New York Academy of Sciences Corresp. Memb. of the Boston Society of Nat. Hist. Cassell and Company, Limited London, Paris & Melbourne 1896 All Rights Reserved [Illustration] INTRODUCTION