New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-26

BEGINNINGS OF DOUBT.

Meanwhile nc really touched neither limit OF
the curve within which he revolved. He was
repealed rather than attracted by F. d. Maui
rice. He never came under the influence or
Hcrt or Lightfoot Westcott. the steady re-
lgous luminaries Of the time at Cambridge.
On the other hand, he was so Indifferent to the
scientific speculation Of the day that when
he came in the examination for the naturai
science trpOs to question about natural
selection he could give no answer. This was
in 1870. He had been at work in mathematics
but the enthusiasm of some of his friends
turned his attention to natural science barely
In time for him to earn scholarship The new
love came upon him just as he was quitting
the old Doubt on his part and opposition on
the part of his parents caused him to give up
the thought Of taking Holy Orders lie began
the study of medicine, then of physiology; soon
he was deep in Darwns works with feeling
that at last life had opened for him. An at
tack Of typhoid fever brdgcd the chasm from
his old studies to his now ones In curious
way.
His acquaintance in the university thought
him An excellent fellow who never got out OF
tempcr but they were rather inclined to make
fun of his name and OF his long legs II never
occurred TO them nor to him that he was des-
tined to win in any mental contest But While
he was getting well Of his fever II occurred TO
him that ne might try for the Burney Prize OF
1873 the subject for which was 'Christlan
Prayer and General Laws" He said aftcrward
that he would never have attempted the task II
he had known that 4 certain man. recKoheo
the best metaphysican Of his day IN cam
bridge, was Of the contestants but one
might say. for obvious reasons. that man
fresh from two or three years Of scientific read
ING with the Bible and Bishop Butler at his
finger ends. had the best preparation imaginable
for doing the theme in question just TO the
taste of an English university committee. win
the training that Romanes had he was not
likely to commit himself to extreme views Inc
criticism of Mrs. Romanes is that the paper ~
"a very hard bit Of reading. and. OF course mas
to some extent the drawback OF a prize essay
a work written not simply to convince the pun
lie but to impress examiners. III Is iuii oi
knowledge and of intellectual agility. put is
perhaps needlessly difficult In style
It Is a mark Of Romanes's generosity that he
offered to divide the prize with theVessayist
whose work was reckoned next to his Money
was IN fact no object to him. His life was en-
yiable because he could devote II wholly to the
pursu,ts which he liked best But the perversity
OF fate is seen in the fact that his life was cut
short before he had time to work out the pest
results OF his study AS for the essay. II shouiu
be said in the first place that 1t was not only
remarkable in itself. but 1t marked a date In the
history Of Caius College. The verdict OF the ex-
| amners was that in the history OF the Burney
| Prize there have been only two equals and no
| superiors." The college had never taken the
| prize before but that year II not only took the
| Burney Prize, but also furnished senior
wrangler But, in the second place. the essay
was only r step on the road which Romanes sooL
| found himself treading with a good deal OF dis
| trust The year 1873 was noteworthy in the his
| tory Of English religious and scientific contro-
versy There was something like persecution on
| one side and sort OF fierce defiance on the
| other that eliminated in Tyndairs famous Bel
| fast address One would have fancied. to see
| the row. that the world coming to an end.
| But 1t was only Cariyles millions. mostly fools.
making a spectacle Of themselves. America had
| its share in the turmoil, too. and great many
| sermons and paper. were written that must look
| funny TO the authors Of them. now that 1t Is all
| over Naturally Romanes's essay was printed In
| a book and SILL more naturally II looked de-
| fectiye to tie author at the end Of few years.
BY 1876 he had got altogether away from his
| meanwhile he had become an ardent disciple of
| Darwin, imbbng not merely the profound OBJ
| servation Of the Origin Of Species" but also
| the less profound contempt that Darwin cher
| ished for any method OF thought or investigation
that was not scientific