nd did not wish to.

And while I lay in this blissful state, there came floating upon the air
strains of the most heavenly music. The whole room was filled with
melody. And with the music came the consciousness of its being familiar
to me. Where had I heard those sweet strains before? They grew fainter.
Raising my head, that no note might escape me, I awoke myself from a
sort of trance into which I did not know of having fallen; for I was
sure my eyes had not once been closed.

The last, faint sounds died away. Instantly there flashed upon my mind
the remembrance of that strange music in the Western wilderness.

THE DARWINIAN THEORY.

Great interest has been awakened, of late, by the promulgation of a new
"Theory of Creation"; and non-scientific readers have met with numerous
controversial articles in the journals, magazines, and newspapers of the
day. The name of Darwin, after having been honorably known for a quarter
of a century to the scientists of the world, has become familiar to us
all as that of the author of this new theory. A word has been added to
our vocabulary. "Darwinian" is now a distinctive epithet wherewith to
individualize the new school of thought, and an appellation to designate
its votaries. Notwithstanding the interest which Mr. Darwin's writings
and the replies of his opponents have created, and the constant allusion
to them in publications of all kinds; in spite of the active warfare
they have incited; in spite of the sneers and sarcasms which have been
launched by writers, lecturers, and preachers,--sure means of
advertisement among the people,--few really and thoroughly comprehend
Mr. Darwin's idea. A lecturer, alluding to it lately, says that it will
be worthy of consideration when we see an ape turn into a man; and this
is about the extent, we imagine, to which the great mass of people
understand a theory which has been received as revelation by many of the
first scientific men of the age,--men who have given their lives to
patient, profound, untiring, unimpassioned study of nature, and who rank
among the foremost thinkers of the world.

Leaving the argumentative detail to those whose learning is the only
armory which can supply weapons adequate to the maintenance of the
struggle, let us see if we cannot explain the idea which causes it; nor
consider its verification to lie in the metamorphosis of an ape into a
man.

Darwin's idea is generally conceived to be a new one. This is