A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF THE POSITION OF MR. DARWIN'S WORK, "ON
THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES," IN RELATION TO THE COMPLETE THEORY OF THE
CAUSES OF THE PHENOMENA OF ORGANIC NATURE

by Thomas H. Huxley




IN the preceding five lectures I have endeavoured to give you an account
of those facts, and of those reasonings from facts, which form the data
upon which all theories regarding the causes of the phenomena of
organic nature must be based. And, although I have had frequent
occasion to quote Mr. Darwin--as all persons hereafter, in speaking upon
these subjects, will have occasion to quote his famous book on the
"Origin of Species,"--you must yet remember that, wherever I have
quoted him, it has not been upon theoretical points, or for statements
in any way connected with his particular speculations, but on matters
of fact, brought forward by himself, or collected by himself, and which
appear incidentally in his book. If a man 'will' make a book,
professing to discuss a single question, an encyclopaedia, I cannot help
it.

Now, having had an opportunity of considering in this sort of way the
different statements bearing upon all theories whatsoever, I have to
lay before you, as fairly as I can, what is Mr. Darwin's view of the
matter and what position his theories hold, when judged by the
principles which I have previously laid down, as deciding our judgments
upon all theories and hypotheses.