Evolution, Old New

Evolution, Old & New, by
Samuel Butler

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Title: Evolution, Old & New Or, the Theories of Buffon, Dr. Erasmus
Darwin and Lamarck, as compared with that of Charles Darwin
Author: Samuel Butler
Release Date: November 9, 2007 [EBook #23427]
Language: English
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Evolution, Old & New
"The want of a practical acquaintance with Natural History leads the

author to take an erroneous view of the bearing of his own theories on
those of Mr. Darwin.--Review of 'Life and Habit,' by Mr. A. R. Wallace,
in 'Nature,' March 27, 1879.
"Neither lastly would our observer be driven out of his conclusion, or
from his confidence in its truth, by being told that he knows nothing at
all about the matter. He knows enough for his argument; he knows the
utility of the end; he knows the subserviency and adaptation of the
means to the end. These points being known, his ignorance concerning
other points, his doubts concerning other points, affect not the certainty
of his reasoning. The consciousness of knowing little need not beget a
distrust of that which he does know."
Paley's 'Natural Theology,' chap. i.

Evolution, Old & New
Or the Theories of Buffon, Dr. Erasmus Darwin and Lamarck, as
compared with that of Charles Darwin
by
Samuel Butler
New York E. P. Dutton & Company 681 Fifth Avenue

Made and printed in Great Britain

NOTE
The demand for a new edition of "Evolution, Old and New," gives me
an opportunity of publishing Butler's latest revision of his work. The
second edition of "Evolution, Old and New," which was published in
1882 and re-issued with a new title-page in 1890, was merely a re-issue

of the first edition with a new preface, an appendix, and an index. At a
later date, though I cannot say precisely when, Butler revised the text of
the book in view of a future edition. The corrections that he made are
mainly verbal and do not, I think, affect the argument to any
considerable extent. Butler, however, attached sufficient importance to
them to incur the expense of having the stereos of more than fifty pages
cancelled and new stereos substituted. I have also added a few entries
to the index, which are taken from a copy of the book, now in my
possession, in which Butler made a few manuscript notes.
R. A. STREATFEILD.
October, 1911.

AUTHOR'S PREFACE
TO
THE SECOND EDITION
Since the proof-sheets of the Appendix to this book left my hands,
finally corrected, and too late for me to be able to recast the first of the
two chapters that compose it, I hear, with the most profound regret, of
the death of Mr. Charles Darwin.
It being still possible for me to refer to this event in a preface, I hasten
to say how much it grates upon me to appear to renew my attack upon
Mr. Darwin under the present circumstances.
I have insisted in each of my three books on Evolution upon the
immensity of the service which Mr. Darwin rendered to that
transcendently important theory. In "Life and Habit," I said: "To the
end of time, if the question be asked, 'Who taught people to believe in
Evolution?' the answer must be that it was Mr. Darwin." This is true;
and it is hard to see what palm of higher praise can be awarded to any
philosopher.

I have always admitted myself to be under the deepest obligations to
Mr. Darwin's works; and it was with the greatest reluctance, not to say
repugnance, that I became one of his opponents. I have partaken of his
hospitality, and have had too much experience of the charming
simplicity of his manner not to be among the readiest to at once admire
and envy it. It is unfortunately true that I believe Mr. Darwin to have
behaved badly to me; this is too notorious to be denied; but at the same
time I cannot be blind to the fact that no man can be judge in his own
case, and that after all Mr. Darwin may have been right, and I wrong.
At the present moment, let me impress this latter alternative upon my
mind as far as possible, and dwell only upon that side of Mr. Darwin's
work and character,