, 1877-03-17


ing to botany, etc, where very few had
given the subject any special atteation
before him. He was struck with tn,
great working value of many ofDarwn's
principles if true yet opposed to ac-
Ccpting them generally, and inclined to
accept no more than what was rather
forced upon his belief than otherwise,
In one very important point, on sub.
iect he had previously very carefully IN
vpstigntcd he mncicd he had caught
Darwin tripping caught him msstating
Il fact of such importance and of such II
nature that while few would he compe.
tent to Judge Of its truth or falschOod,
yet ii untrue it would 90 long way to
demonstrate the falsity ot The theory as
Il whole.
Prot Gray WAS able enough to sce
that it would not hc exactly safe to risk
his own splcnded reputation as careful,
well informed and cXnct scientist with
out careful investigation OF the subject {;
so he took some six months to carefully
rc.eXamine the whole subject, when to
his own surprise he found Darwin to he
right and himself wrong,
These Investigations so completely
satisfied him of the truth of Darwinism
that ever since he has been It's abcst cX.
p0ncnt in America, and is now the an.
thurized American editor Of that very
practical book for the former botanist --
"Darwin's Animals and Plants under
Domestication,'
We were induced to write this article
by thoughts suggested in reading, II few
weeks since, "a work by Prof. Gray, pub
lished in 1875, 10y Appleton & Co, en-
titled "D0rwiniann." This work is not
a systematic treatise, hut series Of de
taChed magazines, essays, lectures, etc,
composed at various times and upon
many different occasions during period
ut some sixteen years, and collected and
published at the request Of the author
friends. The series is friendly review
Of the Darwinian literature that has ap.
peared in America, explaining and com.
menting on most OF the different classes
Of articles written in opposition to Dar
win, especially treating on the relig-
ious and pbilosophic tendencies of the
system, as viewed by its friends as wei
as its opponents Taking it all in all,
we seldom have the pleasure Of reading
IA more entertaining or instructive work.
In reference to the natural theological
questions that occupy so great place in
these articles, the author says in his pre-.
face that "there are many who may be
interested to know how these increasing
y prevalent views and their tendencies
are regarded by one who is scientifically Y
and in his own fashion Darwinian, phi
losophically a convinced theist and re-
lgiously an acceptor of the creed COM
monty called the Nicine, AS the exponent
of the Christian faith"
Again he writes "'Truth emerges
sooner from error than from confusion,
says Bacon and clearer views than com.
monty prevail upon the points at issue
regarding religion and science are still
sufficiently needed to justify these en-
deavors"
1t is impossible to properly describe
such a work as this in single article, or
even give synopsis OF its contents nor
do we intend to try more than to illus
trate few special features Of this in
structive work, and close with an outline
of the authors views in relation to the
big trees of California, the Sequoia and
their history.
The first article, on "The Origin of
Species by Means OF Natural Selection" )"
is good statement of Darwin's theory
for those who have given the subject but
little attention. The articles on ''Natur-
al Selection not Inconsistant with Natur-
al Theology" Evolution and Theol-
ogy," "And what is Darwinism," are of
special interest to those who wish to
study the philosophical and theological
bearings upon the subject.
The article on "The attitude of work.
ing Naturalsts towards Darwinism." !"
notes the general tendency to accept this
hypothesis by noted scientists like LyeIl,
Owen, ETC., as we'll as practical utility.