, 1873-09-21
DEFENSE OF DARWINIBM.

tlo myt0b anu uy6tlclEmB OF pa6k aBUHt EePAob
In tho October number of tho Popular Science
Monthly to Prof, Agasaiz's recont scrioa Of 1co'
tures In opposition to tho Evolution theory,
popu1arly known a. Darwintam. PROT Fiake
co1nea to tho defense With tho quick fro
Of natural oontrovoraialist, and openH
h1a battorios upon Prof. Agasaiz without any
foar Of tho big guns which tho latter commands
in q soiontiho fight. Tho worry first objection
which Prof. Fisko makes is that Prof. Agassiz's
dictum ia likely to exert groator influence than
It Is entitled to from the arguments which ho
has produced in opposition to Dnrwinism. Ho
rofusos to admit that thero is any oracle IN SCI
anco, and approhonds that tho unsciontiao pub
lio, impressed with the high position which Prof.
Agaseiz has tahon in tho seiontiao ciro1o. will
bllndly follow him In an antiquatod preju-
dice against theory which he examines
solcly from the standpoint Of forty years ago.
Without dctractiug from tho distinguished scion-
tito merits Of Agass!z, Prof. Fisko insista TINT
such sauans as Gray Wyman, Huxley Lyol1,
Lubbock, Vogt, Haeckol. md Gegonbaur doaervo
to bo claased in the samo rank with him. All
thcso gontlomon havo followed tho growth Of
tho theory as tracod in tho later observations
and generalizations, and have ranged themselves
on tho side OF hr. Darwin. Prof. Fsko says
that wo should remember that Bacon rejected
tho Copcrnican theory; that Liebnltz refused
his assent to Newton'a law OF grayitation, and
80 on. Science rests upon demonstration, md
not upon the nero opinions or projudicos Of any
como.
"Natural Selection" aB IN explanation Of tho
origin Of species is undoubtedly nothing more
than theory as yet. But 1t Is q theory which,
during the past few years, has roceiyod support
In tho observations aud goneralizations Of lead
! ing aclentiao men In their explorations Of
Nature. Prof. Agassiz himself han pro-
ducod somo Of tho most interesting evidences
OF systematic development, though ho ro-
| fuaeH to recognize in them tho links
I OF q common origin. uo has demonstrated that
tho mamma, tho highest order Of organization
with man at its head, passes sucoeHBlvoly
through tho form Of tho fBh, tic reptile, and the
bird before it attains its full development. We
do not. on this account, ho Bays, maintain that
d quadrupod grows out Of feh in our tmo.
because TO know it is not 80. To find in
thoso resembauceB an evidence Of common
origin, is, therefore, play Of tho imagina-
ton, assisted by tho lapse Of geological
ages. To this Mr. Fisko makes auswer that
Prof. Agaasiz utterly ignores the circumstances
Of variation natural selection, extinction, strug-
gle for life, and the other conditions Of Nature
which have been adopted aa evidences Of the
common origin Of specios. He docs not explain
why, il all organisms arc not nssocated through
tho bonds Of common doacont, tho facts arc just
Whist they would havo boon il thoro we're d COM
mon doscout. Why doea not man de-
yelop directly into tho organism Of q
mammal from embryonic growth, instead Of frat
coquetting with tho organism Of n fish, then
with that Of reptile, and then with tbat OF a
bird ? Hayo theao roacmblancoB no Significance,
and, II not, Why do they exist7 These aro the
points which Prof. Fisl1e clamB that Prof. Agas.
eiz has mover fairly mot
The controversy botwoon Prof. AgaBslz and
the Darwinists may DO fairly stated in this way
Tho Darwinista Chin that man Is tic
result Of tho action OF natural forcos
Prof. AgaBsz claims tint man is tho result ot
special creation. In g controversy Of thif
nature. Prof. Agassiz Ia auro to have tho sup.
port OF the 1nasBes, because his theory agrees
With tho accepted doctrine Of the Bible, ant
also with the facts which common people chi
SEQ and understand. On tho other hand, thu
DarNinists In their theory, do not antagoniZe th
notion Of Divine action, but arc ondeavoring tt
: trace out d succession Of cause aud effect such
8 they fud 1t In othor phenomena Of Nature. Til
!, AGENCY OF Divine Power in the creation o
. tho world Ia just as manifest in tn
a theory that man, fish, reptile, and bird aro o
l common doscont, as it ia in tho theory that til
: first man WAS mado out of tho dust OF the earth
L aud the frat woman out Of rib Of man. Proi
3 Agassiz once said that ho profors tho theor
o which makes man fallen angel to tho theor
Q which makos him An improved monkey. Du
= Prot. Fiske aays that preferences have noth
g ing to do with tho acontfo troatmont o
0 subject Tho existence Of o Divin
u Power In the creation Of man oortainl
= does not require that 1nan should hayo bee
Il crehted as 10 la, which would bo sort of mi,
= aclo difforent from our other experiences {
Ii natural forcea. II ho bo traced to coul1no
is origin with the other inhabitants Of the GLOBE
n thero is still primordial cause which must hav
Is furnished tho original aourco OF growth an
10 development; md the cause can only bo toun
J. In Divine Power. It tho actlcn OF naturl
B. cauHsa has produced, from common origir
ID tho various species as wo now kno
10 thcm, aud, 1t the struggle for e1istont
Is has resulted steadily in the survival Of tho ttes
I'd tho work OF tile Divine Powor seouls no lot
magnificent aud Intelligent than il wo adopt IL
r. theory Of special creation. 30 lopg as both do
I'd trines of origin remain tleorioH tho Darwinis
10 are undoubtedly entitled to tho woight Of Buo