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Title: Darwin and Modern Science

Author: A.C Seward and Others

Release Date: November 20, 2009 [EBook

#1909]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DARWIN AND MODERN SCIENCE ***

Produced by Sue Asscher, and David Widger

DARWIN AND MODERN

SCIENCE

ESSAYS IN

COMMEMORATION

OF THE CENTENARY OF THE BIRTH OF CHARLES DARWIN

AND OF THE

FIFTIETH

ANNIVERSARY OF THE PUBLICATION

OF "THE ORIGIN OF

SPECIES"

By A.C Seward and

Others

"My success as a man of science, whatever this may have amounted to, has been determined, as far as I can judge,

by complex and diversified mental qualities and conditions Of these, the most important have been—the love of science—unbounded patience in long

reflecting over any subject—industry in observing and collecting facts—and a fair share of invention as well as of common sense With such moderate abilities as I possess, it is truly surprising that I should have influenced

to a considerable extent the belief of scientific men on some important points."

Autobiography (1881); "The Life and Letters of Charles Darwin", Vol 1 page 107.

At the suggestion of the CambridgePhilosophical Society, the Syndics of theUniversity Press decided in March, 1908,

to arrange for the publication of a series

of Essays in commemoration of theCentenary of the birth of Charles Darwinand of the Fiftieth anniversary of thepublication of "The Origin of Species".The preliminary arrangements were made

by a committee consisting of the followingrepresentatives of the Council of thePhilosophical Society and of the PressSyndicate: Dr H.K Anderson, Prof.Bateson, Mr Francis Darwin, Dr Hobson,

Dr Marr, Prof Sedgwick, Mr David

Sharp, Mr Shipley, Prof Sorley, Prof.Seward In the course of the preparation

of the volume, the original scheme and list

of authors have been modified: a few ofthose invited to contribute essays were,for various reasons, unable to do so, andsome alterations have been made in thetitles of articles For the selection ofauthors and for the choice of subjects, thecommittee are mainly responsible, but forsuch share of the work in the preparation

of the volume as usually falls to the lot of

an editor I accept full responsibility

Authors were asked to address themselvesprimarily to the educated layman ratherthan to the expert It was hoped that thepublication of the essays would serve thedouble purpose of illustrating the far-

reaching influence of Darwin's work onthe progress of knowledge and the presentattitude of original investigators andthinkers towards the views embodied inDarwin's works.

In regard to the interpretation of a passage

in "The Origin of Species" quoted byHugo de Vries, it seemed advisable to add

an editorial footnote; but, with thisexception, I have not felt it necessary torecord any opinion on views stated in theessays

In reading the essays in proof I haveavailed myself freely of the willingassistance of several Cambridge friends,among whom I wish more especially tothank Mr Francis Darwin for the activeinterest he has taken in the preparation of

the volume Mrs J.A Thomson kindlyundertook the translation of the essays byProf Weismann and Prof Schwalbe; MrsJames Ward was good enough to assist me

by translating Prof Bougle's article onSociology, and to Mr McCabe I amindebted for the translation of the essay byProf Haeckel For the translation of thebotanical articles by Prof Goebel, Prof.Klebs and Prof Strasburger, I amresponsible; in the revision of thetranslation of Prof Strasburger's essayMadame Errera of Brussels renderedvaluable help Mr Wright, the Secretary ofthe Press Syndicate, and Mr Waller, theAssistant Secretary, have cordiallycooperated with me in my editorial work;nor can I omit to thank the readers of theUniversity Press for keeping watchful

eyes on my shortcomings in the correction

of proofs

The two portraits of Darwin arereproduced by permission of MessrsMaull and Fox and Messrs Elliott and Fry.The photogravure of the study at Down isreproduced from an etching by Mr AxelHaig, lent by Mr Francis Darwin; thecoloured plate illustrating Prof.Weismann's essay was originallypublished by him in his "Vortrage uberDescendenztheorie" which afterwardsappeared (1904) in English under the title

"The Evolution Theory" Copies of thisplate were supplied by Messrs Fischer ofJena

The Syndics of the University Press haveagreed, in the event of this volume being a

financial success, to hand over the profits

to a University fund for the endowment ofbiological research

It is clearly impossible to expressadequately in a single volume of Essaysthe influence of Darwin's contributions toknowledge on the subsequent progress ofscientific inquiry As Huxley said in 1885:

"Whatever be the ultimate verdict ofposterity upon this or that opinion which

Mr Darwin has propounded; whateveradumbrations or anticipations of hisdoctrines may be found in the writings ofhis predecessors; the broad fact remainsthat, since the publication and by reason ofthe publication of "The Origin of Species"the fundamental conceptions and the aims

of the students of living Nature have been

completely changed But the impulse thusgiven to scientific thought rapidly spreadbeyond the ordinarily recognised limits ofBiology Psychology, Ethics, Cosmologywere stirred to their foundations, and 'TheOrigin of Species' proved itself to be thefixed point which the general doctrineneeded in order to move the world."

In the contributions to this MemorialVolume, some of the authors have moreespecially concerned themselves with theresults achieved by Darwin's own work,while others pass in review the progress

of research on lines which, thoughunknown or but little followed in his day,are the direct outcome of his work

The divergence of views among biologists

in regard to the origin of species and as to

the most promising directions in which toseek for truth is illustrated by the differentopinions of contributors WhetherDarwin's views on the modus operandi ofevolutionary forces receive furtherconfirmation in the future, or whether theyare materially modified, in no way affectsthe truth of the statement that, byemploying his life "in adding a little toNatural Science," he revolutionised theworld of thought Darwin wrote in 1872 toAlfred Russel Wallace: "How grand is theonward rush of science: it is enough toconsole us for the many errors which wehave committed, and for our efforts beingoverlaid and forgotten in the mass of newfacts and new views which are dailyturning up." In the onward rush, it is easyfor students convinced of the correctness

of their own views and equally convinced

of the falsity of those of their workers to forget the lessons of Darwin'slife In his autobiographical sketch, hetells us, "I have steadily endeavoured tokeep my mind free so as to give up anyhypothesis, however much beloved assoon as facts are shown to be opposed toit." Writing to Mr J Scott, he says, "It is agolden rule, which I try to follow, to putevery fact which is opposed to one'spreconceived opinion in the strongestlight Absolute accuracy is the hardestmerit to attain, and the highest merit Anydeviation is ruin."

fellow-He acted strictly in accordance with hisdetermination expressed in a letter toLyell in 1844, "I shall keep out of

controversy, and just give my own facts."

As was said of another son of Cambridge,Sir George Stokes, "He would no morehave thought of disputing about priority, orthe authorship of an idea, than of writing areport for a company promoter." Darwin'slife affords a striking confirmation of thetruth of Hazlitt's aphorism, "Where thepursuit of truth has been the habitual study

of any man's life, the love of truth will behis ruling passion." Great as was theintellect of Darwin, his character, asHuxley wrote, was even nobler than hisintellect

A.C SEWARD

Botany School, Cambridge, March 20,1909

PREFACE

DATES OF THEPUBLICATION OfCHARLES DARWIN'SBOOKS AND OF THEPRINCIPAL EVENTS

IN HIS LIFE

I INTRODUCTORYLETTER From SirJoseph Dalton Hooker,O.M., G.C.S.I., C.B.,M.D., D.C.L., LL.D.,F.R.S., ETC.

II DARWIN'SPREDECESSORS By J.Arthur Thomson

III THE SELECTIONTHEORY, By AugustWeismann

IV VARIATION ByHUGO DE VRIES

V HEREDITY ANDVARIATION IN

MODERN LIGHTS By

W Bateson, M.A., F.R.S

VI THE MINUTESTRUCTURE OFCELLS IN RELATION

TO HEREDITY ByEduard Strasburger.VII "THE DESCENT

OF MAN" By G.Schwalbe

VIII CHARLESDARWIN AS ANANTHROPOLOGIST

By Ernst Haeckel

X THE INFLUENCE

OF DARWIN ON THE

STUDY OF ANIMALEMBRYOLOGY By A.Sedgwick, M.A., F.R.S.

XI THEPALAEONTOLOGICALRECORD By W.B.Scott

XII THEPALAEONTOLOGICALRECORD By D.H.Scott, F.R.S

XIII THE INFLUENCE

OF ENVIRONMENT

ON THE FORMS OFPLANTS By GeorgKlebs, PH.D

XIV EXPERIMENTALSTUDY OF THEINFLUENCE OFENVIRONMENT ONANIMALS By JacquesLoeb, M.D Professor ofPhysiology in theUniversity of California.

XV THE VALUE OFCOLOUR IN THESTRUGGLE FOR LIFE

By E.B Poulton

XVI GEOGRAPHICALDISTRIBUTION OFPLANTS By SirWilliam Thiselton-Dyer,K.C.M.G., C.I.E Sc.D.,

XVII GEOGRAPHICALDISTRIBUTION OFANIMALS By HansGadow, M.A., Ph.D.,F.R.S

XVIII DARWIN ANDGEOLOGY By J.W.Judd, C.B., LL.D., F.R.S.XIX DARWIN'S WORK

ON THE MOVEMENTS

OF PLANTS By FrancisDarwin,

XX THE BIOLOGY OFFLOWERS By K.Goebel, Ph.D

XXI MENTALFACTORS INEVOLUTION By C.Lloyd Morgan, LL.D.,F.R.S.

XXII THE INFLUENCE

OF THE CONCEPTION

OF EVOLUTION ONMODERN

PHILOSOPHY By H.Hoffding

XXIII DARWINISMAND SOCIOLOGY By

C Bougle

XXIV THEINFLUENCE OF

DARWIN UPONRELIGIOUS

THOUGHT By P.N.Waggett, M.A., S.S.J.E.XXV THE INFLUENCE

OF DARWINISM ONTHE STUDY OFRELIGIONS By JaneEllen Harrison

XXVI EVOLUTIONAND THE SCIENCE OFLANGUAGE By P.Giles, M.A., LL.D.(Aberdeen),

XXVII DARWINISMAND HISTORY By J.B

DATES OF THE

PUBLICATION Of CHARLES DARWIN'S BOOKS AND OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS

"At 8 1/2 years old I went to Mr Case'sschool." (A day-school at Shrewsburykept by the Rev G Case, Minister of theUnitarian Chapel.)

1818:

"I was at school at Shrewsbury under agreat scholar, Dr Butler; I learntabsolutely nothing, except by amusingmyself by reading and experimenting inChemistry."

1825:

"As I was doing no good at school, myfather wisely took me away at a ratherearlier age than usual, and sent me (Oct.1825) to Edinburgh University with mybrother, where I stayed for two years."

Began residence at Christ's College,Cambridge

"I went to Cambridge early in the year

1828, and soon became acquainted withProfessor Henslow Nothing could bemore simple, cordial and unpretendingthan the encouragement which he afforded

to all young naturalists."

"During the three years which I spent atCambridge my time was wasted, as far asthe academical studies were concerned, ascompletely as at Edinburgh and at school."

"In order to pass the B.A Examination, itwas necessary to get up Paley's'Evidences of Christianity,' and his 'Moral

Philosophy' The careful study of theseworks, without attempting to learn anypart by rote, was the only part of theacademical course which was of theleast use to me in the education of mymind."

1831:

Passed the examination for the B.A.degree in January and kept the followingterms

"I gained a good place among the oi polloi

or crowd of men who do not go in forhonours."

"I am very busy, and see a great deal ofHenslow, whom I do not know whether Ilove or respect most."

Dec 27 "Sailed from England on ourcircumnavigation," in H.M.S "Beagle", abarque of 235 tons carrying 6 guns, underCapt FitzRoy.

"There is indeed a tide in the affairs ofmen."

Dec 13 Went to live at Cambridge(Fitzwilliam Street)

"The only evil I found in Cambridge was

its being too pleasant."

1837:

"On my return home (in the 'Beagle') in theautumn of 1836 I immediately began toprepare my journal for publication, andthen saw how many facts indicated thecommon descent of species In July(1837) I opened my first note-book forfacts in relation to the Origin of Species,about which I had long reflected, andnever ceased working for the next twentyyears Had been greatly struck fromabout the month of previous March oncharacter of South American fossils, andspecies on Galapagos Archipelago Thesefacts (especially latter), origin of all myviews."

"On March 7, 1837 I took lodgings in (36)Great Marlborough Street in London, andremained there for nearly two years, until

I was married."

1838:

"In October, that is fifteen months after Ihad begun my systematic enquiry, Ihappened to read for amusement 'Malthus

on Population,' and being well prepared toappreciate the struggle for existencewhich everywhere goes on from long-continued observation of the habits ofanimals and plants, it at once struck methat under these circumstances favourablevariations would tend to be preserved,and unfavourable ones to be destroyed.The result of this would be the formation

of new species Here then I had at last got

a theory by which to work; but I was soanxious to avoid prejudice, that Idetermined not for some time to writeeven the briefest sketch of it."

1839:

Married at Maer (Staffordshire) to hisfirst cousin Emma Wedgwood, daughter ofJosiah Wedgwood

"I marvel at my good fortune that she, soinfinitely my superior in every singlemoral quality, consented to be my wife.She has been my wise adviser andcheerful comforter throughout life, whichwithout her would have been during avery long period a miserable one from ill-health She has earned the love of everysoul near her" (Autobiography)

Dec 31 "Entered 12 Upper Gower street"(now 110 Gower street, London) "Therenever was so good a house for me, and Idevoutly trust you (his future wife) willapprove of it equally The little garden isworth its weight in gold."

Published "Journal and Researches",being Vol III of the "Narrative of theSurveying Voyage of H.M.S 'Adventure'and 'Beagle'"

Publication of the "Zoology of the Voyage

of H.M.S 'Beagle'", Part II., "Mammalia",

by G.R Waterhouse, with a "Notice oftheir habits and ranges", by CharlesDarwin

1840:

Contributed Geological Introduction toPart I ("Fossil Mammalia") of the

"Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S.'Beagle'" by Richard Owen

1842:

"In June 1842 I first allowed myself thesatisfaction of writing a very briefabstract of my (species) theory in pencil

in 35 pages; and this was enlarged duringthe summer of 1844 into one of 230 pages,which I had fairly copied out and still(1876) possess." (The first draft of "TheOrigin of Species", edited by Mr FrancisDarwin, will be published this year(1909) by the Syndics of the CambridgeUniversity Press.)

Sept 14 Settled at the village of Down in

Publication of "Geological Observations

on the Volcanic Islands visited during theVoyage of H.M.S 'Beagle'"; being Part II

of the "Geology of the Voyage of the'Beagle'"

"I think much more highly of my book onVolcanic Islands since Mr Judd, by far thebest judge on the subject in England, has,

as I hear, learnt much from it."(Autobiography, 1876.)

1845:

Publication of the "Journal of Researches"

as a separate book

1846:

Publication of "Geological Observations

on South America"; being Part III of the

"Geology of the Voyage of the 'Beagle'"

1851:

Publication of a "Monograph of the FossilLepadidae" and of a "Monograph of thesub-class Cirripedia"

"I fear the study of the Cirripedia will

ever remain 'wholly unapplied,' and yet Ifeel that such study is better than castle-building."

to discuss in the "Origin of Species" theprinciples of a natural classification.Nevertheless, I doubt whether the workwas worth the consumption of so muchtime."