The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-07-17
HUXLEY AND EVOLUTION.
ID Il q Mistake 10 Credit Him with the
Authorship Of . Scientific hypothesis
That Wns Broadly Iiinted At by Aris'

That Wus Broadly iinted at by Aris'
| tOtlc.
From the Chicago Times-Herald.
With curious lack Of knowledge AZ
10 the past Of science. commentators
upon the life Of Huxley fall into the
singular error of declaring that he "es-
| tablished the theory Of evolution or
which Darwin, Is declared to be the
| author" II an assertion so idiy
made. and so absolutely. be not m
ouired into at the moment of Its birth
spurious myth will be added TO popular
| faith concerning the progress or scieh-
tific investigation and Its tenat'e re-
suits.
Evolution IS not established. In the
very nature Of things 1t can never De es-
tablished. Its premises. according 10
its own authentic advocates. 20 back be-
yond the scope OF mans power or re-
search or Of reckoning time. That 1t IS
very generally held to be true Is beyond
question; but those who believe most
firmly In it would be the last to claim FOR
its demonstration. Without demonstra-
ton a scientific theory cannot be said to
De SStdDllSuco. IL lAC SA Sf>
cies from species be admitted an inte-
grail part Of the theory Of evolution, as 1t
must be, a monumental barrier stands
In the way Of its unQuestioned accept
ance. That barrier has been placed in
scientific annals by Louis Agassiz In
his exposition of the fixity OF species, as
illustrated by embryology
Apparent 10 Aristotle.
As Huxley has not established evolu-
ton, Darwin was not and never claimed
to be its author" The principle Of
evolution was apparent to Aristotle,
who, Notwithstanding the scantiness Of
materials. means and opportunity for
biologic study, perceived the reason
ableness and probability Of the prln-
ciple. The theory itself was widely
known among the Greek and the early
Christian scholars. and was freely dis
cussed, pro and con, in the Christian
schools Of the first five centuries.
Darwinism. properly stated, Is natural
selection, and undertakes to justify
the principle Of evolution Natural se-
lection, briefly stated. Is that every kind
Of animal and plant tends to increase in
numbers in geometripal progression;
that every kind transmits a general
likeness, with individual difference, to
Its offspring, and that every individual
has to endure a severe struggle for ex-
istence. owing to the tendency to geome-
trical increase Of all kinds of animals
and plants while the total animal and
vegetable population. man and his
tal III
tionary.
Not the Only Mems.
In the last edition of 1.-THE Origin Of
Species" Darwin somewhat modifies
natural selection In relation to its po-
tency as factor in the probability Of
evolution. While he continued to MAIN
tain that It Is the most important means
by which nature has preserved an equi-
librium between generation and SUBJ
sistence. he does not adhere to his
original position that 1t is the only
means.
1t will also be remembered that while
evolution Is not Darwln's in any sense,
the hypothesis Of natural selection was
put forth by Alfred r. Wallace about
the same time as Darwin. who, how
ever. was antecedent in reaching the
world with his evidence in support of It,
thereby giving to the hypothesis OF ma
tural selection his name.
Darwin himself, chivalrous, high
minded and honest man, who wrote
modestly and cautiously. always re-
sented ascription to him Of anything
which was not his due. Huxley would
smile with his characteristic brusque-
ness OF candor at the absurdity OF claim
Ing for him the establishment of a
theory which neither he nor any other
scientific defender of evolution pro-
fessed to believe susceptible Of demon
stration.