The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-05-12

THE DOCTRINE OF EVOLUTION.
Prof. Huxley Thinks IL is Nov an Estab.
lished Fact.

Iished Fact.
London Standard.
Last night Prof. Huxley gave discourse
on "The Coming Of Age Of Origin Of spe.
cies, /" at the Royal Institution, in the pres.
ence Of q crowded audience. The Profess
or referred at the outset to the appearance
of Mr. Darwin's book in October, 1869, q
copy Of the original edition Of which he
held in his hand. The doctrine Of evolu-
ton, on which the work was founded, had
spread its influence over the whole realm
OF thought. The question which they had
to consider was how 1t was that tina
change had taken place. There were two
factors which had TO be considered in de.
termining this question, the one the state
OF mind 10 which the evidence was offer
cd, and the other and, he regretted to say,
the subordinate factor, the nature Of the
evidence itself. In 1859 the state OF mind
OF the biological world was absolutely diff
ierent to what 1t was now, and secondly,
the evidence Of the truth or falsehood OF
the main principles was absolutely differ
ent to what 1t was at the present time. As
respects Che state Of mind, he confessed
that he looked back with astonishment at
the notions which they were ready to en-
terrain at that time. There was no strong.
or illustration OF this than the mode OF
solving the question OF the past history OF
this globe. Twenty-Five years ago what
was known as catastrophe geology was at
the highest point OF its influence, but he
did not suppose there was any one now
who viewed the catastrophe doctrine ex-
cept as fossil. Laughter.] On the con-
trary, 1t was universally admitted that the
key TO the past was TO be found in the
present. He believed there was nothing
which had so fixed the doctrine OF evolu-
ton in the minds OF scientific men as the
realization OF this fact. Mr. Darwin's work
was but the natural supplement to Sir
Charles Lyell's principles OF Geology
The kernel OF Mr.. Dsrwin's book was in the
assertion that the animal species and the
organic beings with which this world was
peopled had all descended, each with his
own class sprang from common root and
a common parent, but they had all been
modified In the course OF their descent,
and, further, when he said that all the ex-
isting forms OF life were the lineal descend
ants OF those which had lived before the
Silurian epoch. II that proposition was
true, the book was the most considerable
contribution which has been given TO the
world since the time OF Harvey; and II 1t
was false, the rest OF the book was Of no
consequence. The necessary corollary to
that proposition was that all forms OF life
had been connected together, but this was
the point which had been the most fierce
ly attacked in the discussions TO which Mr..
Darwin's book had given rise. The Pro-
lessor then proceeded 10 deal at length
with this part OF his subject. The absence
OF any material distinction between man
and the higher animals was point which
it took some three or four years TO get set
tied, but it was admitted now on all hands
the connection between the birds and the
other branches OF the animal kingdom was
another point which had been cleared up
Dy subsequent discoveries, notably ofthe
archeoptAy. Again, the apparent gap be-
tween vegetable life had been disposed OF.
Investigations which had been made since
1850 had shown how utterly impossible II
was to attemptto draw any distinction be-
tween the lower animals and the lower
plants. Lastly, the influence which had
powerfully contributed TO change the state
Of mind in which these matters were con.
sidered was the marvellous development OF
the means OF individual investigation. We
had now attained position in these mat
ters OF which our fathers had no concep-
ton, and 1t was now possible to make a
complete and accurate examination OF the
oyRryI OF any organism, and even TO reduce
it 10 the thousandth part Of an inch. But
he had not always felt that the real evi.
dence in favor OF evolution must be with |
the meteorological. MIR. Darwin has ac.l
counted to SOME OF his critics for the de- |
fciencies which he felt existed on this
branch by referring to the imperfection OF
the geological records, but by a singular
late these imperioctions had, since 1919,
been supplied by researches all over the |
world, especially those in the neighbor-
hood Of Athens, and by discoveries Of the
American biologists in the western terri:
tories. The fact was that the doctrine oil
evolution was no longer matter OF specu-
lation; it was an absolute fact. The TACT
was there was no other superstition which
oould connect the facts revealed by recent
discoveries, except that which was called
evolution. He might be told that these
various objects might have been developed
spontaneously and created spontaneously.
lie had nothing to say to anyone who adj
vanced that theory any more than he
should have anything to say to the savage
who said that the sun set in the west at
night and was recre:.ed before It's rising
ths next day. a laugh Thus in the year
1850 the doctrine Of evolution was no long
or matter Of speculation. 1t was simply
the,only way OF coherently and nationally
explaining the facts OF paleontology.