century. I have already reminded you that it is one of the alternative theories of Aristotle; and it was also held by the savage philosophers of Tahiti, who seem to be of the same opinion; as they declare that the origin of your race may be traced to a heap of vegetables in the act of rotting, which gave rise to a number of worms, and out of these said worms men and women were at length evolved!

Having already given you the opinion of the celebrated Mr. Canning on the origin of man, I will add, in conclusion, before taking up the teaching of Professor Darwin, that of another Prime Minister, Mr. Disraeli, or as known in his later years by the title of Lord Beaconsfield. Before publishing a work of fiction called Tancred, or the New Crusade, he had declared it was a question whether men had originally been apes or angels; but in Tancred he states the subject with more scientific precision.

"You must read the Revelation of Chaos, which I will lend you," says a blue

way

stocking lady to the hero; " every thing is there explained scientifically by geology and astronomy. It shows you exactly how a star is formed; nothing can be so pretty! A cluster of vapour, the cream of the milky way, a sort of celestial cheese churned into light. But what is most interesting is the in which man has been developed. You know all is development. The principle is perpetually going on. First there was nothing; then there was something; then I forget the next. I think there were shells, then fishes; then we came at last. The next change there will be something very superior to us, something with wings. Ah! that's it; we were fishes, and we shall be crows. We had fins; we may have wings."

Such was the expression of a distinguished politician on the much disputed questions of the 19th century—viz., the origin of men and things, and the theory of AGNOSTIC EVOLUTION. And inasmuch as these doctrines by universal

consent are inseparably connected with the name of one of your most illustrious Scientists, I propose to devote the next portion of my address to a careful consideration of the various theories enunciated by the renowned CHARLES DARWIN; and in order to avoid the possibility of misrepresenting his views, I will first quote his ipsissima verba, and then proceed to comment on the doctrine which the natural meaning of his words appears to teach.

PROFESSOR DARWIN.

I now come to consider the claims of a very distinguished Naturalist, the famous Charles Darwin, to rank as the first philosopher of the 19th century, and whom Professor Huxley has placed on a par with the immortal Newton, and has termed him the greatest savant evolved from an ape next to Aristotle. Although we naturally smile at such a rhapsodical simile, I gladly avow my respect for the great Naturalist, as he was both a learned and a modest

man, with a tender feeling towards those who dissented from his views, which cannot be said with truth of many of his disciples, who endeavour to trade on his honoured name. And in order that I may do him full justice, I propose to quote some extracts from his chief works before proceeding to comment on his opinions, and to show you clearly wherein their error lays.

Under the high-sounding names of Natural Selection-Development—Evolution-Transmutation - Pangenesis-Biogenesis-Abiogenesis-Agamogenesis-* Osmosis-Protoplasm-Physical Basis of Life, and others of a still wilder nomenclature, which appear to have been invented, as Curran humorously said of the Round Towers in Ireland, more for the purpose "of puzzling posterity" than any thing else, some of your Scientists have succeeded in bewitching a large number of the unlearned world in general, together

* See Appendix D.

with a few of those who may be termed real savans in particular.

Under the double terms of Natural Selection and Evolution, Mr. Charles Darwin, grandson of Dr. Erasmus Darwin, author of the Botanic Garden, has persuaded himself, and has succeeded in persuading many others to believe, that the human race has primarily descended from the larvæ of an ascidian tadpole, and finally from an old-world monkey.

His early opinion of the Transmutation theory is thus charmingly explained. In his Origin of Species he accounts for various changes of one species of quadrupeds, and especially for the enormous head of the cetacea, in the following instructive manner:-"I will give two or three instances of diversified and changed habits in the individuals of the same species. When either case occurs, it would be easy for Natural Selection to fit the animal by some modification of its structure for its changed habits. . . . Let the organization of a dog be slightly plastic; let the number of rab