EightyearslaterHerbertSpencerpublishedanessaycontrastingthetheoriesofcreationandevolution——reasoningwithgreatforceinfavourofthelatter，showingthatspecieshadundoubtedlybeenmodifiedbycircumstances；butstillonlyfewandchosenmensawthesignificanceofalltheselinesofreasoningwhichhadbeenconvergingduringsomanyyearstowardoneconclusion。
　　OnJuly1，1858，therewerereadbeforetheLinnaeanSocietyatLondontwopapers——onepresentedbyCharlesDarwin，theotherbyAlfredRusselWallace——andwiththereadingofthesepapersthedoctrineofevolutionbynaturalselectionwasborn。Thenandthereafatalbreachwasmadeinthegreattheologicalbarrierofthecontinuedfixityofspeciessincethecreation。
　　Thestoryofthesepapersthescientificworldknowsbyheart：
　　howCharlesDarwin，havingbeensenttotheUniversityofCambridgetofithimfortheAnglicanpriesthood，leftitin1831
　　togouponthescientificexpeditionoftheBeagle；howforfiveyearshestudiedwithwonderfulvigourandacutenesstheproblemsoflifeasrevealedonlandandatsea——amongvolcanoesandcoralreefs，inforestsandonthesands，fromthetropicstothearcticregions；how，intheCapeVerdeandtheGalapagosIslands，andinBrazil，Patagonia，andAustraliaheinterrogatedNaturewithmatchlesspersistencyandskill；howhereturnedunheralded，quietlysettleddowntohiswork，andsoonsettheworldthinkingoveritsfirstpublishedresults，suchashisbookonCoralReefs，andthemonographontheCirripedia；and，finally，howhepresentedhispaper，andfolloweditupwithtreatiseswhichmadehimoneofthegreatleadersinthehistoryofhumanthought。
　　Thescientificworldrealizes，too，moreandmore，thepowerofcharactershownbyDarwininallthisgreatcareer；thefacultyofsilence，thereserveofstrengthseeninkeepinghisgreatthought——hisideaofevolutionbynaturalselection——undersilentstudyandmeditationfornearlytwentyyears，givingnohintofittotheworldatlarge，butworkingineveryfieldtosecureproofsordisproofs，andaccumulatingmassesofpreciousmaterialforthesolutionofthequestionsinvolved。
　　Toonemanonlydidherevealhisthought——toDr。JosephHooker，towhomin1844，underthesealofsecrecy，hegaveasummaryofhisconclusions。Notuntilfourteenyearslateroccurredtheeventwhichshowedhimthatthefulnessoftimehadcome——theletterfromAlfredRusselWallace，towhom，inbrilliantresearchesduringthedecadefrom1848to1858，inBrazilandintheMalayArchipelago，thesametruthofevolutionbynaturalselectionhadbeenrevealed。Amongtheproofsthatscientificstudydoesnoinjurytothemoredelicateshadesofsentimentisthewell-knownstoryofthisletter。WithitWallacesentDarwinamemoir，askinghimtopresentittotheLinnaeanSociety：onexaminingit，DarwinfoundthatWallacehadindependentlyarrivedatconclusionssimilartohisown——possiblyhaddeprivedhimoffame；butDarwinwasloyaltohisfriend，andhisfriendremainedeverloyaltohim。HepubliclypresentedthepaperfromWallace，withhisownconclusions；andthedateofthispresentation——July1，1858——separatestwoepochsinthehistory，notmerelyofnaturalscience，butofhumanthought。
　　Inthefollowingyear，1859，camethefirstinstalmentofhisworkinitsfullerdevelopment——hisbookonTheOriginofSpecies。Inthisbookoneatleastofthemainsecretsattheheartoftheevolutionaryprocess，whichhadbaffledthelonglineofinvestigatorsandphilosophersfromthedaysofAristotle，wasmorebroadlyrevealed。Theeffectivemechanismofevolutionwasshownatworkinthreeascertainedfacts：inthestruggleforexistenceamongorganizedbeings；inthesurvivalofthefittest；andinheredity。Thesefactswerepresentedwithsuchminuteresearch，wideobservation，patientcollation，transparenthonesty，andjudicialfairness，thattheyatoncecommandedtheworld’sattention。Itwastheoutcomeofthirtyyears’workandthoughtbyaworkerandthinkerofgenius，butitwasyetmorethanthat——itwastheoutcome，also，oftheworkandthoughtofanothermanofgeniusfiftyyearsbefore。ThebookofMalthusonthePrincipleofPopulation，mainlyfoundedonthefactthatanimalsincreaseinageometricalratio，andtherefore，ifunchecked，mustencumbertheearth，hadbeengenerallyforgotten，andwasonlyrecalledwithasneer。ButthegeniusofDarwinrecognisedinitadeepermeaning，andnowthethoughtofMalthuswasjoinedtothenewcurrent。MeditatinguponitinconnectionwithhisownobservationsoftheluxurianceofNature，Darwinhadarrivedathisdoctrineofnaturalselectionandsurvivalofthefittest。
　　Asthegreatdogmaticbarrierbetweentheoldandnewviewsoftheuniversewasbrokendown，thefloodofnewthoughtpouringovertheworldstimulatedandnourishedstronggrowthsineveryfieldofresearchandreasoning：editionaftereditionofthebookwascalledfor；itwastranslatedevenintoJapaneseandHindustani；thestagnationofscientificthought，whichBuckle，onlyafewyearsbefore，hadsodeeplylamented，gaveplacetoawidespreadandfruitfulactivity；massesofaccumulatedobservations，whichhadseemedstaleandunprofitable，weremadealive；factsformerlywithoutmeaningnowfoundtheirinterpretation。Underthisnewinfluenceanarmyofyoungmentookupeverypromisinglineofscientificinvestigationineveryland。Epoch-makingbooksappearedinallthegreatnations。
　　Spencer，Wallace，Huxley，Galton，Tyndall，Tylor，Lubbock，Bagehot，Lewes，inEngland，andaphalanxofstrongmeninGermany，Italy，France，andAmericagaveforthworkswhichbecameauthoritativeineverydepartmentofbiology。IfsomeoftheoldermeninFranceheldback，overawedperhapsbytheauthorityofCuvier，theyoungerandmorevigorouspressedon。
　　Onesourceofoppositiondeservestobeespeciallymentioned——LouisAgassiz。
　　Agreatinvestigator，aninspiredandinspiringteacher，anobleman，hehadreceivedandelaboratedatheoryofanimatedcreationwhichhecouldnotreadilychange。InhisheartandmindstillprevailedtheatmosphereofthelittleSwissparsonageinwhichhewasborn，andhisreligiousandmoralnature，sobeautifultoallwhoknewhim，wasespeciallyrepelledbysundryevolutionists，who，intheirzealasneophytes，madeproclamationsseemingtohaveadecidedlyirreligiousifnotimmoralbearing。InadditiontothiswasthedirectionhisthinkinghadreceivedfromCuvier。Boththeseinfluencescombinedtopreventhisacceptanceofthenewview。
　　Hewasthethirdgreatmanwhohadthrownhisinfluenceasabarrieracrossthecurrentofevolutionarythought。Linnaeusinthesecondhalfoftheeighteenthcentury，Cuvierinthefirsthalf，andAgassizinthesecondhalfofthenineteenth——allmadethesameeffort。Eachremainsgreat；butnotallofthemtogethercouldarrestthecurrent。Agassiz’sstrongeffortsthroughouttheUnitedStates，andindeedthroughoutEurope，tocheckit，reallypromotedit。FromthegreatmuseumhehadfoundedatCambridge，fromhissummerschoolatPenikese，fromhislectureroomsatHarvardandCornell，hisdiscipleswentforthfullofloveandadmirationforhim，fullofenthusiasmwhichhehadstirredandintofieldswhichhehadindicated；buttheirpowers，whichhehadarousedandstrengthened，weredevotedtodevelopingthetruthhefailedtorecognise；Shaler，Verrill，Packard，Hartt，Wilder，Jordan，withamultitudeofothers，andespeciallythesonwhoborehishonouredname，didjusticetohismemorybyapplyingwhattheyhadreceivedfromhimtoresearchunderinspirationofthenewrevelation。
　　Stillanothermandeservesespecialgratitudeandhonourinthisprogress——EdwardLivingstonYoumans。HewasperhapsthefirstinAmericatorecognisethevastbearingsofthetruthspresentedbyDarwin，Wallace，andSpencer。Hebecametheapostleofthesetruths，sacrificingthebrilliantcareeronwhichhehadenteredasapubliclecturer，subordinatinghimselftothethreeleaders，andgivinghimselftoeditorialdrudgeryinthestimulationofresearchandtheannouncementofresults。
　　Insupportofthenewdoctrinecameaworldofnewproofs；thosewhichDarwinhimselfaddedinregardtothecross-fertilizationofplants，andwhichhehadadoptedfromembryology，ledtheway，andthesewerefollowedbythediscoveriesofWallace，Bates，Huxley，Marsh，Cope，Leidy，Haeckel，Muller，Gaudry，andamultitudeofothersinalllands。[22]
　　[22]ForAgassiz’soppositiontoevolution，seetheEssayonClassification，vol。i，1857，asregardsLamark，andvol。iii，asregardsDarwin；alsoSilliman’sJournal，July1860；alsotheAtlanticMonthly，January1874；alsohisLifeandCorrespondence，vol。ii，p。647；alsoAsaGray，ScientificPapers，vol。ii，p。
　　484。Areminiscenceofmyownenablesmetoappreciatehisdeepethicalandreligiousfeeling。IwaspassingthedaywithhimatNahantin1868，consultinghimregardingcandidatesforvariousscientificchairsatthenewlyestablishedCornellUniversity，inwhichhetookadeepinterest。Aswediscussedoneafteranotherofthecandidates，hesuddenlysaid：“WhoistobeyourProfessorofMoralPhilosophy？Thatisafarmoreimportantpositionthanalltheothers。”
　　IV。THEFINALEFFORTOFTHEOLOGY。
　　Darwin’sOriginofSpecieshadcomeintothetheologicalworldlikeaploughintoanant-hill。Everywherethosethusrudelyawakenedfromtheiroldcomfortandreposehadswarmedforthangryandconfused。Reviews，sermons，bookslightandheavy，cameflyingatthenewthinkerfromallsides。
　　ThekeynotewasstruckatonceintheQuarterlyReviewbyWilberforce，BishopofOxford。HedeclaredthatDarwinwasguiltyof“atendencytolimitGod’sgloryincreation“；that“theprincipleofnaturalselectionisabsolutelyincompatiblewiththewordofGod“；thatit“contradictstherevealedrelationsofcreationtoitsCreator“；thatitis“inconsistentwiththefulnessofhisglory“；thatitis“adishonouringviewofNature“；andthatthereis“asimplerexplanationofthepresenceofthesestrangeformsamongtheworksofGod“：thatexplanationbeing——“thefallofAdam。”Nordidthebishop’seffortsendhere；atthemeetingoftheBritishAssociationfortheAdvancementofScienceheagaindisportedhimselfinthetideofpopularapplause。ReferringtotheideasofDarwin，whowasabsentonaccountofillness，hecongratulatedhimselfinapublicspeechthathewasnotdescendedfromamonkey。ThereplycamefromHuxley，whosaidinsubstance：“IfIhadtochoose，I
　　wouldprefertobeadescendantofahumblemonkeyratherthanofamanwhoemployshisknowledgeandeloquenceinmisrepresentingthosewhoarewearingouttheirlivesinthesearchfortruth。”
　　ThisshotreverberatedthroughEngland，andindeedthroughothercountries。
　　TheutterancesofthisthemostbrilliantprelateoftheAnglicanChurchreceivedasortofantiphonalresponsefromtheleadersoftheEnglishCatholics。Inanaddressbeforethe“Academia。”
　　whichhadbeenorganizedtocombat“sciencefalselysocalled。”
　　CardinalManningdeclaredhisabhorrenceofthenewviewofNature，anddescribeditas“abrutalphilosophy——towit，thereisnoGod，andtheapeisourAdam。”
　　Theseattacksfromsucheminentsourcessettheclericalfashionforseveralyears。Onedistinguishedclericalreviewer，inspiteofDarwin’sthirtyyearsofquietlabour，andinspiteofthepowerfulsummingupofhisbook，prefacedadiatribebysayingthatDarwin“mighthavebeenmoremodesthadhegivensomeslightreasonfordissentingfromtheviewsgenerallyentertained。”
　　Anotherdistinguishedclergyman，vice-presidentofaProtestantinstitutetocombat“dangerous“science，declaredDarwinism“anattempttodethroneGod。”AnothercriticspokeofpersonsacceptingtheDarwinianviewsas“underthefrenziedinspirationoftheinhalerofmephiticgas。”andofDarwin’sargumentas“ajungleoffancifulassumption。”AnotherspokeofDarwin’sviewsassuggestingthat“Godisdead。”anddeclaredthatDarwin’swork“doesopenviolencetoeverythingwhichtheCreatorhimselfhastoldusintheScripturesofthemethodsandresultsofhiswork。”Stillanothertheologicalauthorityasserted：“IftheDarwiniantheoryistrue，Genesisisalie，thewholeframeworkofthebookoflifefallstopieces，andtherevelationofGodtoman，asweChristiansknowit，isadelusionandasnare。”
　　Another，whohadshownexcellentqualitiesasanobservingnaturalist，declaredtheDarwinianview“ahugeimposturefromthebeginning。”
　　EchoescamefromAmerica。Onereview，theorganofthemostwidespreadofAmericanreligioussects，declaredthatDarwinwas“attemptingtobefogandtopettifogthewholequestion“；
　　anotherdenouncedDarwin’sviewsas“infidelity“；another，representingtheAmericanbranchoftheAnglicanChurch，pouredcontemptoverDarwinas“sophisticalandillogical。”andthenplungedintoanexceedinglydangerouslineofargumentinthefollowingwords：“Ifthishypothesisbetrue，thenistheBibleanunbearablefiction；……thenhaveChristiansfornearlytwothousandyearsbeendupedbyamonstrouslie……DarwinrequiresustodisbelievetheauthoritativewordoftheCreator。”A
　　leadingjournalrepresentingthesamechurchtookpainstoshowtheevolutiontheorytobeascontrarytotheexplicitdeclarationsoftheNewTestamentastothoseoftheOld，andsaid：“Ifwehaveall，menandmonkeys，oystersandeagles，developedfromanoriginalgerm，thenisSt。Paul’sgranddeliverance——`Allfleshisnotthesameflesh；thereisonekindoffleshofmen，anotherofbeasts，anotheroffishes，andanotherofbirds’——untrue。”
　　AnotherechocamefromAustralia，whereDr。Perry，LordBishopofMelbourne，inamostbitterbookonScienceandtheBible，declaredthattheobviousobjectofChambers，Darwin，andHuxleyis“toproduceintheirreadersadisbeliefoftheBible。”