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TRANSMUTATION OF SPECIES

EXAMINED.

THE DARWINIAN THEORY

OF THE

TRANSMUTATION OF SPECIES

EXAMINED BY

A GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
CAMBRIDGE.

'One hand has surely worked through the Universe.'-DARWIN,

LONDON:

JAMES NISBET & CO., 21, BERNERS STREET.

1867.

[All Rights reserved.]

ан 369 B57

JOHN CHILDS AND SON, PRINTERS.

7-24-37

PREFACE.

THE following examination of Mr Darwin's 'Origin of Species' is intended as a 'common-sense answer to a Theory, which needs only to be carefully compared with itself to be completely confuted. By a common-sense answer is meant such a view as any person of ordinary understanding would take of the question of design, in any of the more striking instances of contrivance for a special object, in the works of Nature. In Mr Darwin's Theory the idea of design in every form of organic life is steadfastly denied, and it is asserted that all existing plants and animals have been produced by slow changes, without any plan or intention, from some antecedent forms.

To oppose this Theory the following pages have been written, in a full confidence that the common sense of mankind cannot be mistaken in this momentous question; and that it can only be by an artificial pressure on the reasoning faculties that any one can be induced to believe in the accidental evolution of organic beings.

As a more particular illustration of the meaning of a common-sense answer, take the following passage from Cicero: As soon as the animal is born, if it be one that

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