Luck or Cunning as the Main Means of Organic Modification | Page 7

that make my case stronger,
but am precluded from publishing them by the reflection that it is
strong enough already. I have said enough in "Life and Habit" to satisfy
any who wish to be satisfied, and those who wish to be dissatisfied
would probably fail to see the force of what I said, no matter how long
and seriously I held forth to them; I believe, therefore, that I shall do
well to keep my facts for my own private reading and for that of my
executors.
I once saw a copy of "Life and Habit" on Mr. Bogue's counter, and was
told by the very obliging shopman that a customer had just written
something in it which I might like to see. I said of course I should like
to see, and immediately taking the book read the following--which it
occurs to me that I am not justified in publishing. What was written ran
thus:-
"As a reminder of our pleasant hours on the broad Atlantic, will Mr. --
please accept this book (which I think contains more truth, and less
evidence of it, than any other I have met with) from his friend -- ?"
I presume the gentleman had met with the Bible--a work which lays
itself open to a somewhat similar comment. I was gratified, however, at
what I had read, and take this opportunity of thanking the writer, an
American, for having liked my book. It was so plain he had been
relieved at not finding the case smothered to death in the weight of its
own evidences, that I resolved not to forget the lesson his words had
taught me.
The only writer in connection with "Life and Habit" to whom I am
anxious to reply is Mr. Herbert Spencer, but before doing this I will
conclude the present chapter with a consideration of some general
complaints that have been so often brought against me that it may be
worth while to notice them.
These general criticisms have resolved themselves mainly into two.

Firstly, it is said that I ought not to write about biology on the ground
of my past career, which my critics declare to have been purely literary.
I wish I might indulge a reasonable hope of one day becoming a literary
man; the expression is not a good one, but there is no other in such
common use, and this must excuse it; if a man can be properly called
literary, he must have acquired the habit of reading accurately, thinking
attentively, and expressing himself clearly. He must have endeavoured
in all sorts of ways to enlarge the range of his sympathies so as to be
able to put himself easily en rapport with those whom he is studying,
and those whom he is addressing. If he cannot speak with tongues
himself, he is the interpreter of those who can--without whom they
might as well be silent. I wish I could see more signs of literary culture
among my scientific opponents; I should find their books much more
easy and agreeable reading if I could; and then they tell me to satirise
the follies and abuses of the age, just as if it was not this that I was
doing in writing about themselves.
What, I wonder, would they say if I were to declare that they ought not
to write books at all, on the ground that their past career has been too
purely scientific to entitle them to a hearing? They would reply with
justice that I should not bring vague general condemnations, but should
quote examples of their bad writing. I imagine that I have done this
more than once as regards a good many of them, and I dare say I may
do it again in the course of this book; but though I must own to
thinking that the greater number of our scientific men write abominably,
I should not bring this against them if I believed them to be doing their
best to help us; many such men we happily have, and doubtless always
shall have, but they are not those who push to the fore, and it is these
last who are most angry with me for writing on the subjects I have
chosen. They constantly tell me that I am not a man of science; no one
knows this better than I do, and I am quite used to being told it, but I
am not used to being confronted with the mistakes that I have made in
matters of fact, and trust that this experience is one which I may
continue to spare no pains in trying to avoid.
Nevertheless I again freely grant that I am not a man of science. I have
never said I was. I was educated