The Project Gutenberg EBook of On the Origin of Species by Means of
Natural Selection, by Charles Darwin

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Title: On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection
or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for
Life. (2nd edition)

Author: Charles Darwin

Release Date: September 25, 2007 [EBook #22764]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Transcriber's note: A few typographical errors have been corrected: they
are listed at the end of the text.

* * * * *

ON THE

ORIGIN OF SPECIES.

* * * * *

"But with regard to the material world, we can at least go so far as
this--we can perceive that events are brought about not by insulated
interpositions of Divine power, exerted in each particular case, but by the
establishment of general laws."

WHEWELL: _Bridgewater Treatise_.

"The only distinct meaning of the word 'natural' is _stated_, _fixed_, or
_settled_; since what is natural as much requires and presupposes an
intelligent agent to render it so, _i.e._ to effect it continually or at
stated times, as what is supernatural or miraculous does to effect it for
once."

BUTLER: _Analogy of Revealed Religion_.

"To conclude, therefore, let no man out of a weak conceit of sobriety, or
an ill-applied moderation, think or maintain, that a man can search too far
or be too well studied in the book of God's word, or in the book of God's
works; divinity or philosophy; but rather let men endeavour an endless
progress or proficience in both."

BACON: _Advancement of Learning_.

* * * * *

_Down, Bromley, Kent,_
_October 1st, 1859._ (_1st Thousand_).

* * * * *

ON

THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES

BY MEANS OF NATURAL SELECTION,

OR THE

PRESERVATION OF FAVOURED RACES IN THE STRUGGLE
FOR LIFE.

BY CHARLES DARWIN, M.A.,

FELLOW OF THE ROYAL, GEOLOGICAL, LINNEAN, ETC., SOCIETIES;

AUTHOR OF 'JOURNAL O