Darwinism

Abstract

THE object of Mr. Wallace in writing the admirable work which he has published with the title of “Darwinism” has been “to give such an account of the theory of natural selection as may enable any intelligent reader to obtain a clear conception of Darwin's work, and to understand something of the power and range of his great principle.” No one has so strong a claim as Mr. Wallace to be heard as an exponent of the theory of the origin of species, of which he is—with Darwin—the joint author. He has produced a thoroughly readable book, condensing into an octavo volume much of the speculation and description of important facts which are contained in the numerous volumes published by Darwin himself, and in the essays and occasional contributions of subsequent writers. Besides this, Mr. Wallace's book contains an exposition of highly important and interesting views of his own on subsidiary matters, which have either not been published previously or have appeared in a scattered and more or less inaccessible form. Consequently, the book is one which has interest not only for the general reader, to whom it is primarily addressed, but also for the more special student of natural history. The latter will find in its pages an abundance of new facts and arguments which, whether they prove convincing or not, are of extreme value and full of interest. If we attempt here to point out some of the shortcomings of Mr. Wallace's treatise, it is not from any desire to minimize its value and interest, but rather an acknowledgment of the weight and significance of a work on so important a subject by so specially competent an author.

Darwinism.

By Alfred Russel Wallace (London: Macmillan and Co., 1889.)