From what has been said, it appears that Darwinism includes three
distinct elements. First, evolution; or the assumption that all organic
forms, vegetable and animal, have been evolved or developed from one, or
a few, primordial living germs; second, that this evolution has been
effected by natural selection, or the survival of the fittest; and
third, and by far the most important and only distinctive element of his
theory, that this natural selection is without design, being conducted
by unintelligent physical causes. Neither the first nor the second of
these elements constitute Darwinism; nor do the two combined. As to the
first, namely, evolution, Mr. Darwin himself, in the historical sketch
prefixed to the fifth edition of his "Origin of Species," says, that
Lamarck, in 1811 and more fully in 1815, "taught that all species,
including man, are descended from other species." He refers to some six
or eight other scientists, as teaching the same doctrine. This idea of
Evolution was prominently presented and elaborated in the "Vestiges of
Creation," first published in 1844. Ulrici, Professor in the University
of Halle, Germany, in his work "Gott und die Natur," says that the
doctrine of evolution took no hold on the minds of scientific men, but
was positively rejected by the most eminent physiologists, among whom he
mentions J. Mueller, K. Wagner, Bischoff, Hoffmann, and others.[8] The
Rev. George Henslow, Lecturer on Botany at St. Bartholomew's Hospital,
London, himself a pronounced evolutionist, says the theories of Lamarck
and of the "Vestiges of Creation" have given place to that of Mr.
Darwin; "and there are not wanting many symptoms of decay in the
acceptance even of his. Not only has he considerably modified his views
in later editions of the 'Origin of Species,' distinctly expressing the
opinion that he attributed too great influence to natural selection, but
even men of science, Owen, Huxley,--and at least in its application to
man, Wallace himself,--are either opposed to it in great measure, or
else give it but a qualified assent. Thus, it has been the fate of all
theories of the development of living things to lapse into oblivion.
_Evolution_ itself, however, will stand the same."[9] We find in the
"Transactions of the Victoria Institute," a still more decided
repudiation of Darwinism on the part of Mr. Henslow. He there says: "I
do not believe in Darwin's theory; and have endeavored to refute it by
showing its utter impossibility."[10] He defines Evolution by saying,
"It supposes all animals and plants that exist now, or have ever
existed, to have been produced through laws of generation from
preexisting animals and plants respectively; that affinity amongst
organic beings implies, or is due to community of descent; and that the
degree of affinity between organisms is in proportion to their nearness
of generation, or, at least, to the persistence of common characters,
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