The Nevada Democrat., 1861-11-28
the AnxIe-wOrm Question.

I Va
age Of war excitements and telegaphsis equiv
alent to an age, replies to my communication
In your paper of the 10Th, in two-column ar
ticle with to be "conluded next week at the
end oft. l submit that this is rather running
the angle-worms into the ground. If the editor
of the National, after devoting, altogether, two
weeks to posting himself up on the subject, ran
sacking the whole country for scientific author
ties and waiting until the public has lost all
interest in the question, now insists upon serV-
ing out the result Of his cogitations in Install
ments, he will be voted, not only novice in
the art Of sensation writing, but bore. AS
have no desire to continue any discussion upon
such terms, will endeayor, briefly to sum up,
all have to say in this article.
The Nationals article, of Tuesday, is a Curl
Gus nelange of contradictions, and well illus
trates that particular phase Of human folly
which leads us to reject, on many occasions, as
utterly unsatisfactory, the most obvious, while
we cling with death-like tcnacity to the most
improbable, conclusions. The writer alternate
ly appaoyes and discredits the statements of
the Blackwood Reviewer, to which called his
attention; pronounces, in one breath, the re-
view as "probably the ablest and most success
full which has yet appeared in Europe or Amer;
ica," and in the next, styles it a "lame attempt
to overthrow the spontaneous generation theo-
ry and even quotes with much gusto, as en-
dorsing his side Of the question, the following
extract from the review:
"Spontaneous generation is possible; but
it has not yet been proved by any possible ex-
pertinent on which reliance can be placed.
The proof may arise at any moment; but till
it does arise, and satisfy the rigorous demands
of severe scientific criticism, we must affirm
that the hypothesis is not proven"
Moreover, says the National editor, "there
is certainly much evidence in favor Of the theO-
ry Of spontaneous generation while there is not
vestige of proof against it." There's log
ical deduction for you No proof against it !!
Great Jehosaphat! Are we all born spontane-
ouslyl our children, and our children's child
rem! our stock, including "niggers," etci
Have we no knowledge of fOetal existence any
where in the animal kingdom no Oviparia,
nor yiviparia "Tel it not in Gath Publish
it not in the streets Of Askalon" for If this the
ory obtains there will be neither marrying nor
giving in marriage. l have heard of babies
having been picked up on the sidewalks, but
not quite so numerously as the angle-wOrms at
Grass Valley. NoproOf against it There is
certainly much evidence in favor of the mythO-
logical account of the birth Of the goddess Min
erva, "while there is not a vestige Of proof
against it" But the world now believes, that
those old worthless, Homer, and Virgil, and Ov-
id, like the editor Of the National, were sensa-
tionizing when they promulgated that theory
ofspOntaneOus generation. Again; he argues,
in reference to the acarns CrosSi which were
found to be impremated Immediately after
their supposed development, that 'the theory
of spontaneous generation would reasonably pre-
sumo a condition for the natural reproduction
Of its kind" How so when electricity does
all the work and when, according to the Ma
tional, "there is not vestige of proof" that
there ever was such thing as natural repro
duction.
Now, seriously, have no disposition, as the
editor of the National supposes, to treat this
subject jeeringly. As one who has made biol
! Ogy and metaphysics a constant study for years,
| am deeply interested in it. | believe, with
the Blackwood Reviewer, that spontaneous
generation is "possible" but it certainly has
not but been proved probable, as yet and un-
til It has been so proved-cOnclusively and sat-
isfactorily established-it must continue to rest
where the BlackwOod Reviewer has placed it.
have no religious scruples which would pre-
vent me from accepting it, upon sufficient au-
thority. | believe a majority of the scientific
world desire to see it it established; but until
it is so established, no man who has any res
pect for his own judment, or regard for his rep
utation, will be in haste to adopt it,
The editor of the National entirely misappre-
hends the spirit and purpose Of my former
communication. Having found that tremend-
uous mares nest Ton Mill street, filled with an
ge-worms, he at once launched out on his cleo
trlcal hypothesis, accompanying it with the as
toniShing declaration that, by means of electri-
city vegetable aggregations may be produced
so rapidly as to be actually seen by the naked
| eye" GA plant" he said, "with leaves and
branches, can be produced, several inches in
height in the labratory, in few moments of
time" And to cap the climax. he asserted
that "animal life has been called into existence
by the same agency " Never having heard of a
well authenticated instance of either kind. dur
| ing somewhat extended course of study and
observation, and being anxious on the subject,
l demanded his authority for such remarkable
statements. lie has failed to give it, and for a
very good reason. There is not, on the face of
the globe, scientific man Of general repute,
VINO will dare, in the present state of human
kno"ledge, to endorse such statements. The
editor OF the National must, therefore, accent
the alternative of producing his authority, (un-
less he esteems his own sufficiently or stand
convicted of having foOlishly crushed into
print with statements having no foundation in
fact, and calculated to seriously mislead the
unretiecting.
Again: | only incidentally raised an ;ssua no