The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-11-03
Sir. Allied Wallace on Modern Splr.
iiuaIiSm-..The Curious Problem

Sir. Allied Wallace on Modern SpIT.
iiuaIism-.-The Curious Problem
of The Age.
TO the EDITOR OF the Cincinnati Gah.tle.
Alfred r. Wallace, + Il s., q natural.
ist Of wide reputation, has written "De
ieuse Of Modern SpiriEualism," which sp.
peared first in the May and June mum.
bers OF the London Fortnighily Review,
and has been republished in u brochure
by Colby & Rich, Of Boston. 1t is claimed
Tor Mr.. Wallace thst he arrived stimuli.
tsneously with Darwin at similar con.
clusioGs in regard 10 the origin Of species
differing from that philosopher how
ever, in this: That while the latter, ad.
herring throughout TO the theory which
Is common to both, looks upon the difler.
ences between one order Of animate no
ture and another as differences only OF
degree, the former, departing in 3 single
instance from the common theory, insists
upon difference in kind, holding that
"a superior intelligence is necessary to
account for man"
As the question which OF these two
high authorities ia right ard which is
wrong upon this point Is ot no immediate
pracucal importance, ii Is curious rather
in psychological respect. While Hr
Darwin IS, throughout, naturalist, there
is a point at which Mr.. Wallace becomes
supra-naturs!ist. Il Is true that he
seeks TO avoid the imputsuon Of supra
usturRlisn by the assumption that the
pheCOmens termed spiritual are within
the domain OF nature; but It Is evident
tha! IN so doing he has done no more
than call that natural which the world
hss agreed TO call supernatural. Il may
BE- true, and It may be untrue that, strictly
speaking, outside Of nature there Ia
nothing. The matter Is one that by NOR.
tai man can neither be proved nor dis.
proved. But humanity has been in the
habit OF considering distinction between
that which takes plsce in accord
ance with the common laws Of nature and
that which takes place under a special
suspension Of those laws OF q special direc.
tion given 10 their activity, and 10 the lat.
ter il has been accustomed TO apply the
term supernatural. As II has been hith-
erto understood, the natural Is that whose
phenomena are uniform under like condi.
tions, the supernatural that TOR the pro-
ducIion Of whose phenomena special con.
diIions are required. Now as special con-
dtious are essential TO the phenomena
called spiritual, 1t is evident either that
they must be included In :he province Of the
supernatural, or that the province Of ma
ture must be arbitrarily enlarged with q
view 10 their admission, so that Mr.. Wal.
lace does not escspe-as he evidently de-
sires To do-the imputation Of suprs.nat-
u:alian BY his attempt TO reduce TO one
term the two orderS Of phenomens.
BY those who have felt themselves una.
ble 10 accept the doctrine OF evolution as
annunciaIed By Mr.. Darwin, aIhe superior
intelligence" theory Of Mr.. Wallace has
bssn largely advertised; not SO much,
perhaps, because It was deemed accepta-
BILE in itself, but because It was the EVIL
dence OF q division In sentiment between
two high authorities upon point having
incidentally q theological connection,
The subscription, however, 10 the spirit
rallsuc faith by Mr.. Wallace, with his
strange aud seemingly inconsistent attri-
button OF that superior intelligence which
is necessary to account for man to cause
strictly natural, will 60 far TO shake the
confidence ol the orthodox in his volume
as 4 champion upon their side, as against
the nSturalistic tendencies Of DarSinism,
Il will also do something 10 shake the
confidence Of the mAteriAi{st in hIs sound.
ness a. natural philosopher. The difer.
enee between Mr.. Wallace and Mr. Oar