, 1872-11-10

they cannot pay theatre charges, do not care to
SO into churches, and cannot make any profit in
tho smaller halls. Who will build our Music
Heu2
DARWIN AND HIS DISCIPLES.
In recent article, TIE TRIBUNE gave brief
history Of the progress that has been made in
the work Of popularizing science. No single
instance Of the Guccess of this movement ia
more striking than the tolerance with which the
doctrine Of Evolution,-moro commonly known
as "Darwinism," though perhaps it should be
properly called "Herbert-Spenceris1n, has been
received in aocial and religious circles. The de-
velopmont OF such theory few years agowou1d
have been received with intense horror and
Indignation by the entire religious press. Yet,
at this time, the Adcance reviews volume on
Evolution Of Life" written by DR.. Henry G.
Chapman, with full concession of the poBsi-
bilities OF the theory and Of its perfect conso-
nance with the Christian faith. A few years
ago, all orthodox churches, ministers, and Or
gans would have united in denouncng the doc
trlnes of Evolution as directly opposed to that
Christian faith which teaches human
dep1avity and degeneracy from the
time Of the Savior, and as q philosophical
vagary dangerous to the accomplishment OF
human salvation. Nov, the Aduance, for one,
comes in and says that We may conceive that
God should have adopted this method OF eradu-
al emancipation, Nor does the Aduance stand
alone among the religious agencies to agree that
this solution Of the problem OF life, however
faulty IN other respects, may be consistent with
faith Robert Collyer Was ono Of the earliest in
this country to give preference to the Ascent
OF man from lower order OF beings rather than
to his Descent from higher order.
The progress which has been made by the doc
trine Of Evolution, however, is even more nota-
BILE in it's having received the Endorsement, more
or less qualified, Of many Of the most thorough
and e1acting Of living sauans. Huxley, Carpen-
ter, Sir Charles Lyoll, Grove, Cope, and many Of
the German naturalists have adopted it. The
President Of the British Association for the Ad-
vancement Of Science, and the President Of the
American Scientific Association, have
both declared their faith in it. Herbert
Spencer, ono Of the most powerful minds and
one Of the most devoted scientific students Of
the world, may almost claim it IS his own.
Among the great scholars Of this country Mr.
Agassiz stood almost alone in opposing it. 4
writer in q late number Of the Quarterly Reoie,o
ranks the law Of Evolution with the law OF GRAY
itation, and speaks Of them together as "the
two deepest scientific principles now known"
The law OF dravitation, when first taught by
Newton, received as much and as fierce opposi-
ton as the doctrine OF Evolution is receiving.
The ablest defence which the doctrine Of Eyolu-
tion has received Of late is from the pen Of Pro-
fessor Youmans, the editor Of the Popular Sciences
Monthly, in answer to an attack made upon it
and its advocates by DR.. Holland the editor Of
Scri6ner's Monthly. DR.. Holland spoke OF the
theory IS q "high-down, q prior; speculation"
Professor Youmans defines a priori to be "an
idea formed before observation and experience
of the facts to which it applies" He holds,
on tho contrary, TINT Evolution is scientific in
duction, or an idea formed after the facts are
known and based upon them. he cites several
notable cases Of scientific advance in proof Of
this. One Of them is the principle OF the nebu-
lous mist as taught by Kant. From this, La-
place and HerBchel evolved the nebular hypoth-
esis, which led to the discovery Of important
facts in astronomy. This WAS nothing
more nor less than Astronomical Evolution.
80 geology is made up Of facts and
inductions that arc the result Of IN
as Professor Dana calls it. Tie climates began
with universal tropics and gradually evolved the
present diVoreities. ALI life upon the earth,
he contends, shows the same gradation and
that Mr. Darwin claims for the hu-
man race, every species reproducing in each
subsequent age the characteristics Of former
age IN an advanced and improved condition.
Perhaps the most remarkable example OF
Evolution is furnished IN tho successive
editions Of Sir Charles Lye1ls geologi-
cal works. In the earlier editions, he
accepted the old idea Of the origin Of life. He
introduced gradual changes through eleven edi- |
lions, until, in the last, he fully indoraes the |
theory Of Evolution, as applied to al terrestrial
life.
The difference which now e1ists between Mr. |
Darwin and the majority OF his opponents is
simply that which prevails between the postivist
md metaphysical schools Of thought. Most !
nualc-lo7ers are content with hearing Beetho- |
zen symphony. The savant says that q
certain mechanical movement Of the inetru-
nents determines tho undulations OF the
Atmosphere; these undu1stions touch the |
exterior organs Of hearing; the motion, having
made its impression upon the ear, is transmitted
Along the nerves, and, reaching the brain, finds
reeponse in the sense Of sound, with which are
Associated various thoughts and emotions. 4
nan looks through glass and sees the light of
star. The philosopher tells him that this star
'as certain movement affecting the undula-
ions OF ether, which are thus transmitted to