, 1877-03-17
JAe 4lorthern star.
Darw iniana and the 5siG Trees
OF California.

III kllN ilHN'l VI p''''''' ''''' - '''N 80
dressed only to scientific men awakened
so great curiosity and required SO great
an influence over the thought OF the
world, and been read by so many non
scientific readers as the "Ongin Of Spc-
Cies"
MANY before had striven to account
for the difference of species, the gradual
changes witnessed, etc; many theories
had been presented, yet most them soon
dropped into obscurity, either because
the progressive advancement ofscicnce
brought to light new facts that set aside
the theory or else the writer had called
upon other than true natural agencies to
account tor the development Of life and
when once scientific theory is bailt up.
on other than natural agencies, science
can do nought with it, but let its rhetO-
ric ammusc the fancy for while, and
then let it drop into deserved ohscurity.
Darwiu's language is so simple, his
style is 50 condensed that the reader un-
used to scientific generalization would
probably fail to see the depth of mean
ing conveyed in every sentence, and the
immense number Of facts carefully oh
served, classified and commented upon
on every page
This work was published some eigh-
teen years 8go, was followed from time
to time by other publications wherein
the facts were more fully stated, illus.
trating the various points of his Iheory,
yet to scientific men the whole question
was stated in the single volume, "The
Origin Of Species"
Looking back from the present time,
we can clearly see that the progress OF
science for near century past has been
gradually accumulatiug facts toward the
demonstration of an hypothesis, some
thing like this
No sooner was the fact well establish
ed that there had in past geological ages
been several different SUGGESTIONS of ami
nal and vegetable life on the globe; than
many were led to think it possible If not
probable that the present forms of life
had been in some way developed from
some existing forms; yet when they
undertook to tell how this was brought
about, they fail to discover natural
causes that in the investigations of work.
ing naturalists and other practical scien-
tific workers were Of practical value,
therefore their theories dropped out OF
notice in very short time On the 9th
er hand, Darwin's observations were so
numerous, so exact and embraced so
comprehensive field of inquiry, and
and solved what so many previously re-
garded as insoluble problems, that men
who were not at all concerned in the re.
ligious or philosophical tendencies of
the system studied his writings as new
revelation, while the theory proper, or
the doctrines Of the Struggle for exist
ence," "the tendency to vary,"the prin-
ciples of "natural selection" and the
Survival of the tittest," were all self
evident to their truthfulness TO nature,
when once stated as this writer stated
them. They were also 80 strictly natural
causes, always at work, and their effect
was manifestiy so great, the only wonder
was that none previously had noted their
effect before, yet regardless whether all
the effects be fully demonstrated or not,
that some ascribe to these and kindred
scientific principles, no real scientific
man will say but that their practical ap-
plication by working scientists, has for
warded the progresses of practical sci.
ence since their discovery faster than
ever before witnessed.
1t was for its practical working value
that Dar~in's Theory became so quickly
known among scientists, and for its re-.
ligious and philosophical Importance
that other classes of society were led to
examine it. Its Importance in this re-.
spect may be estimated by the fact that
no work in the past century has awaked.
so much comment, or. caused so many
other books to he written explaining its
results, illustrating, defending, or oppos-
ing its principles. In Germany its princi-
pies are regarded as the basis for their