andfromthelasteditionofhisSystemaNaturaehequietlyleftoutthestronglyorthodoxstatementofthefixityofeachspecies，whichhehadinsisteduponinhisearlierworks。Buthemadenoadequatedeclaration。Whathemightexpectifheopenlyanddecidedlysanctionedanewerviewhelearnedtohiscost；
　　warningscamespeedilybothfromtheCatholicandProtestantsides。
　　AtatimewheneminentprelatesoftheolderChurchwereeulogizingdebauchedprinceslikeLouisXV，andusingtheunspeakablyobscenecasuistryoftheJesuitSanchezintheeducationofthepriesthoodastotherelationsofmentowomen，themodestyoftheChurchauthoritieswassoshockedbyLinnaeus’sproofsofasexualsysteminplantsthatformanyyearshiswritingswereprohibitedinthePapalStatesandinvariousotherpartsofEuropewhereclericalauthoritywasstrongenoughtoresistthenewscientificcurrent。Notuntil1773didoneofthemorebroad-mindedcardinals——Zelanda——succeedingainingpermissionthatProf。MinasishoulddiscusstheLinnaeansystematRome。
　　AndProtestantismwasquiteasoppressive。InalettertoEloius，LinnaeustellsoftherebukegiventosciencebyoneofthegreatLutheranprelatesofSweden，BishopSvedberg。FromvariouspartsofEuropedetailedstatementshadbeensenttotheRoyalAcademyofSciencethatwaterhadbeenturnedintoblood，andwell-meaningecclesiasticshadseeninthisanindicationofthewrathofGod，certainlyagainsttheregionsinwhichthesemiracleshadoccurredandpossiblyagainstthewholeworld。A
　　miracleofthissortappearinginSweden，Linnaeuslookedintoitcarefullyandfoundthatthereddeningofthewaterwascausedbydensemassesofminuteinsects。Newsofthisexplanationhavingreachedthebishop，hetookthefieldagainstit；hedenouncedthisscientificdiscoveryas“aSatanicabyss“abyssumSatanae，anddeclared“ThereddeningofthewaterisNOT
　　natural。”and“whenGodallowssuchamiracletotakeplaceSatanendeavours，andsodohisungodly，self-reliant，self-sufficient，andworldlytools，tomakeitsignifynothing。”InfaceofthisonslaughtLinnaeusretreated；hetellshiscorrespondentthat“itisdifficulttosayanythinginthismatter。”andshieldshimselfunderthestatement“Itiscertainlyamiraclethatsomanymillionsofcreaturescanbesosuddenlypropagated。”and“itshowsundoubtedlytheall-wisepoweroftheInfinite。”
　　Thegreatnaturalist，grownoldandwornwithlaboursforscience，couldnolongerresistthecontemporarytheology；hesettledintoobediencetoit，andwhilethemodificationofhisearlyorthodoxviewwas，aswehaveseen，quietlyimbeddedinthefinaleditionofhisgreatwork，hemadenospecialefforttoimpressitupontheworld。ToallappearancehecontinuedtoadheretothedoctrinethatallexistingspecieshadbeencreatedbytheAlmighty“inthebeginning。”andthatsince“thebeginning“nonewspecieshadappeared。
　　Yetevenhisgreatauthoritycouldnotarresttheswellingtide；
　　moreandmorevastbecamethenumberofspecies，moreandmoreincomprehensibleundertheoldtheorybecamethenewlyascertainedfactsingeographicaldistribution，moreandmoreitwasfeltthattheuniverseandanimatedbeingshadcomeintoexistencebysomeprocessotherthanaspecialcreation“inthebeginning。”andthequestionwasconstantlypressing，“ByWHAT
　　process？”
　　Throughoutthewholeoftheeighteenthcenturyonemanwasatworkonnaturalhistorywhomighthavecontributedmuchtowardananswertothisquestion：thismanwasBuffon。Hispowersofresearchandthoughtwereremarkable，andhisgiftinpresentingresultsofresearchandthoughtshowedgenius。HehadcaughttheideaofanevolutioninNaturebythevariationofspecies，andwaslikelytomakeagreatadvancewithit；buthe，too，wasmadetofeelthepoweroftheology。
　　AslongashegavepleasingdescriptionsofanimalstheChurchpettedhim，butwhenhebegantodeducetruthsofphilosophicalimportthebatteriesoftheSorbonnewereopeneduponhim；hewasmadetoknowthat“thesacreddepositoftruthcommittedtotheChurch“was，that“inthebeginningGodmadetheheavensandtheearth“andthat“allthingsweremadeatthebeginningoftheworld。”Forhissimplestatementoftruthsinnaturalsciencewhichareto-daytruisms，hewas，aswehaveseen，draggedforthbythetheologicalfaculty，forcedtorecantpublicly，andtoprinthisrecantation。Inthisheannounced，“Iabandoneverythinginmybookrespectingtheformationoftheearth，andgenerallyallwhichmaybecontrarytothenarrativeofMoses。”[21]
　　[21]ForDescartesandhisrelationtotheCopernicantheory，seeSaisset，DescartesetsesPrecurseurs；alsoFouillee，Descartes，Paris，1893，chaps。iiandiii；alsootherauthoritiescitedinmychapteronAstronomy；forhisrelationtothetheoryofevolution，seethePrincipesdePhilosophie，3emepartie，S45。
　　FordeMaillet，seeQuatrefages，DarwinetsesPrecurseursfrancais，chapi，citingD’Archiac，Paleontologie，Stratigraphie，vol。i；also，Perrier，LaPhilosophiezoologiqueavantDarwin，chap。vi；alsotheadmirablearticleEvolution，byHuxley，inEncy。Brit。ThetitleofDeMaillet’sbookisTelliamed，ouEntretiensd’unPhilosopheindienavecunMissionairefrancaissurlaDiminutiondelaMer，1748，1756。ForBuffon，seetheauthoritiespreviouslygiven，alsothechapteronGeologyinthiswork。FortheresistanceofbothCatholicandProtestantauthoritiestotheLinnaeansystemandideas，seeAlberg，LifeofLinnaeus，London，1888，pp。143-147，and237。AstothecreationmedallionsattheCathedralofUpsala，itisasomewhatcuriouscoincidencethatthepresentwritercameuponthemwhilevisitingthatedificeduringthepreparationofthischapter。
　　ButallthistriumphoftheChaldeo-BabyloniancreationlegendswhichtheChurchhadinheritedavailedbutlittle。
　　Forabouttheendoftheeighteenthcenturyfruitfulsuggestionsandevenclearpresentationsofthisorthatpartofalargeevolutionarydoctrinecamethickandfast，andfromthemostdivergentquarters。EspeciallyremarkablewerethosewhichcamefromErasmusDarwininEngland，fromMaupertuisinFrance，fromOkeninSwitzerland，andfromHerder，and，mostbrilliantlyofall，fromGoetheinGermany。
　　Twomenamongthesethinkersmustbeespeciallymentioned——TreviranusinGermanyandLamarckinFrance；eachindependentlyoftheotherdrewtheworldmorecompletelythaneverbeforeinthisdirection。
　　FromTreviranuscame，in1802，hisworkonbiology，andinthishegaveforththeideathatfromformsoflifeoriginallysimplehadarisenallhigherorganizationsbygradualdevelopment；thateverylivingfeaturehasacapacityforreceivingmodificationsofitsstructurefromexternalinfluences；andthatnospecieshadbecomereallyextinct，butthateachhadpassedintosomeotherspecies。FromLamarckcameaboutthesametimehisResearches，andalittlelaterhisZoologicalPhilosophy，whichintroducedanewfactorintotheprocessofevolution——theactionoftheanimalitselfinitseffortstowardadevelopmenttosuitnewneeds——andhegaveashisprincipalconclusionsthefollowing：
　　1。Lifetendstoincreasethevolumeofeachlivingbodyandofallitspartsuptoalimitdeterminedbyitsownnecessities。
　　2。Newwantsinanimalsgiverisetoneworgans。
　　3。Thedevelopmentoftheseorgansisinproportiontotheiremployment。
　　4。Newdevelopmentsmaybetransmittedtooffspring。
　　Hiswell-knownexamplestoillustratetheseviews，suchasthatofsuccessivegenerationsofgiraffeslengtheningtheirnecksbystretchingthemtogatherhigh-growingfoliage，andofsuccessivegenerationsofkangarooslengtheningandstrengtheningtheirhindlegsbythenecessityofkeepingthemselveserectwhilejumping，provokedlaughter，buttheverycomicalityoftheseillustrationsaidedtofastenhismainconclusioninmen’smemories。
　　Inboththesestatements，imperfectastheywere，greattruthswereembodied——truthswhichweresuretogrow。
　　Lamarck’sdeclaration，especially，thatthedevelopmentoforgansisinratiototheiremployment，andhisindicationsofthereproductioninprogenyofwhatisgainedorlostinparentsbytheinfluenceofcircumstances，enteredasamosteffectiveforceintothedevelopmentoftheevolutiontheory。
　　ThenextgreatsuccessorintheapostolateofthisideaoftheuniversewasGeoffroySaint-Hilaire。Asearlyas1795hehadbeguntoformatheorythatspeciesarevariousmodificationsofthesametype，andthistheoryhedeveloped，testingitatvariousstagesasNaturewasmoreandmoredisplayedtohim。Itfelltohislottobearthebruntinastruggleagainstheavyoddswhichlastedmanyyears。
　　Forthemanwhonowtookupthewarfare，avowedlyforsciencebutunconsciouslyfortheology，wastheforemostnaturalistthenliving——Cuvier。Hisscientificeminencewasdeserved；thehighesthonoursofhisownandothercountriesweregivenhim，andheborethemworthily。AnImperialCouncillorunderNapoleon；PresidentoftheCouncilofPublicInstructionandChancelloroftheUniversityundertherestoredBourbons；GrandOfficeroftheLegionofHonour，aPeerofFrance，MinisteroftheInterior，andPresidentoftheCouncilofStateunderLouisPhilippe；hewaseminentinallthesecapacities，andyetthedignitygivenbysuchhighadministrativepositionswasasnothingcomparedtohisleadershipinnaturalscience。Sciencethroughouttheworldacknowledgedinhimitschiefcontemporaryornament，andtothishourhisfamerightlycontinues。Buttherewasinhim，asinLinnaeus，asurvivalofcertaintheologicalwaysoflookingattheuniverseandcertaintheologicalconceptionsofaplanofcreation；itmustbesaid，too，thatwhilehistemperamentmadehimdistrustnewhypotheses，ofwhichhehadseensomanybornanddie，hisenvironmentasagreatfunctionaryofstate，honoured，admired，almostadoredbythegreatest，notonlyinthestatebutintheChurch，hissolicitudelestscienceshouldreceivesomedetrimentbyopenlyresistingtheChurch，whichhadrecapturedEuropeaftertheFrenchRevolution，andhadmadeofitsenemiesitsfootstool——alltheseconsiderationsledhimtoopposethenewtheory。Amidtheplaudits，then，oftheforemostchurch-menhethrewacrossthepathoftheevolutiondoctrinesthewholemassofhisauthorityinfavouroftheoldtheoryofcatastrophicchangesandspecialcreations。
　　GeoffroySaint-Hilairestoutlywithstoodhim，bravingnon-recognition，ill-treatment，andridicule。Treviranus，afaroffinhismathematicallecture-roomatBremen，seemedsimplyforgotten。
　　Butthecurrentofevolutionarythoughtcouldnotthusbechecked：dammedupforatime，itbrokeoutinnewchannelsandinwaysandplacesleastexpected；turnedawayfromFrance，itappearedespeciallyinEngland，wheregreatpaleontologistsandgeologistsarosewhoseworkculminatedinthatofLyell。
　　Specialiststhroughoutalltheworldnowbecamemorevigorousthanever，gatheringfactsandthinkingupontheminawaywhichcausedthespecialcreationtheorytoshrinkmoreandmore。
　　Broaderandmorefullbecamethesevariousrivulets，soontouniteinonegreatstreamofthought。
　　In1813Dr。Wellsdevelopedatheoryofevolutionbynaturalselectiontoaccountforvarietiesinthehumanrace。About182O
　　DeanHerbert，eminentasanauthorityinhorticulture，avowedhisconvictionthatspeciesarebutfixedvarieties。In1831PatrickMatthewsstumbleduponandstatedthemaindoctrineofnaturalselectioninevolution；andothershereandthere，inEuropeandAmerica，caughtaninklingofit。
　　Butnooneoutsideofacircleapparentlyuninfluentialcaredforthesethings：theChurchwasserene：ontheContinentithadobtainedreactionarycontrolofcourts，cabinets，anduniversities；inEngland，DeanCockburnwasdenouncingMarySomervilleandthegeologiststothedelightofchurchmen；andtheRev。MellorBrownwasdoingthesamethingfortheedificationofdissenters。
　　InAmericathemildsuggestionsofSillimanandhiscompeersweremetbytheprotestationsoftheAndovertheologiansheadedbyMosesStuart。NeitherofthegreatEnglishuniversities，asarule，tookanynoticeoftheinnovatorssavebysneers。
　　Tothiscurrentofthoughttherewasjoinedanewelementwhen，in1844，RobertChamberspublishedhisVestigesofCreation。
　　Thebookwasattractiveandwaswidelyread。InChambers’sviewtheseveralseriesofanimatedbeings，fromthesimplestandoldestuptothehighestandmostrecent，weretheresultoftwodistinctimpulses，eachgivenonceandforalltimebytheCreator。Thefirstofthesewasanimpulseimpartedtoformsoflife，liftingthemgraduallythroughhighergrades；thesecondwasanimpulsetendingtomodifyorganicsubstancesinaccordancewithexternalcircumstances；infact，thedoctrineofthebookwasevolutiontemperedbymiracle——astretchingoutofthecreativeactthroughalltime——apiousversionofLamarck。
　　Tworesultsfollowed，onemirth-provoking，theotherleadingtoseriousthought。Theamusingresultwasthatthetheologiansweregreatlyalarmedbythebook：itwasloudlyinsistedthatitpromotedatheism。Lookingbackalongthelineofthoughtwhichhassincebeendeveloped，onefeelsthattheoldertheologiansoughttohaveputupthanksgivingsforChambers’stheory，andprayersthatitmightprovetrue。Themoreseriousresultwasthatitaccustomedmen’smindstoabeliefinevolutionasinsomeformpossibleorevenprobable。Inthiswayitwasprovisionallyofservice。