bject in
the only way in which approach is possible--if you consent to make
your soul a poetic rendering of a phenomenon which, as I have taken
more pains than anybody else to show you, refuses the yoke of ordinary
physical laws--then I, for one, would not object to this exercise of
ideality.' I say it strongly, but with good temper, that the
theologian, or the defender of theology, who hacks and scourges me for
putting the question in this light is guilty of black ingratitude.

*****

Notwithstanding the agreement thus far pointed out, there are certain
points in Professor Virchow's lecture to which I should feel inclined
to take exception. I think it was hardly necessary to associate the
theory of evolution with Socialism; it may be even questioned whether
it was correct to do so. As Lange remarks, the aim of Socialism, or
of its extreme leaders, is to overthrow the existing systems of
government, and anything that helps them to this end is welcomed,
whether it be atheism or papal infallibility. For long years the
Socialists saw Church and State united against them, and both were
therefore regarded with a common hatred. But no sooner does a serious
difference arise between Church and State, than a portion of the
Socialists begin immediately to dally with the former. [Footnote:
'Geschichte des Materialismus,' 2e Auflage, vol. ii. p. 538.] The
experience of the last German elections illustrates Lange's position.
Far nobler and truer to my mind than this fear of promoting Socialism
by a scientific theory which the best and soberest heads in the world
have substantially accepted, is the position assumed by Helmholtz, who
in his 'Popular Lectures' describes Darwin's theory as embracing 'an
essentially new creative thought' (einen wesentlich neuen
schoepferischen Gedanken), and who illustrates the greatness of this
thought by copious references to the solutions, previously undreamt
of, which it offers of the enigmas of life and organisation. He
points to the clouds of error and confusion which it has already
dispersed, and shows how the progress of discovery since its first
enunciation is simply a record of the approach of the theory towards
complete demonstration. One point in this 'popular' exposition
deserves especial mention here. Helmholtz refers to the dominant
position acquired by Germany in physiology and medicine, while other
nations have kept abreast of her in the investigation of inorganic
nature. He