Darwin and Darwinism. By P. Y. Alexander, M.A., LL.D. (John
Bale, Sons, and Danielsson.)—Dr. Alexander is behind the times. It is some years since the habit of attacking Darwinism on verbal and metaphysical grounds was abandoned as likely to lead nowhither. Dr. Hutcheson Stirling, whose mental attitude was not exactly a triumph of modernity, was perhaps the last reasoner on those lines who had any chance of being taken seriously. Dr. Alexander is not conspicuous for modesty : he says :—" My little effort will show that, wherever I have paid special attention to any department of Natural History or Natural Science, I am apt to find Mr. Darwin at fault—more especially in his generalisations." A writer who proceeds from this to talk of Darwin's constant blunders, and his "unjustifiable, short-sighted, partial, empty theorising," is likely to produce a book either epoch-making or insignificant. We do not think that Dr. Alexander's book is epoch-making.
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