CHAPTER II. 
ORGANIC EVOLUTION NOT PROVED BY NATURAL 
SELECTION. 
“It is possible to have a complete faith in the general doctrine 
of evolution, and yet to hesitate in accepting the Darwinian theory.” 
—Huxley. 
It was shown in the preceding chapter that the arguments 
for Organic Evolution were the common property of all 
those who believe in Organic Evolution ; that they could 
be, and actually had been, urged by one who never heard 
of Natural Selection, no less than by those who are the 
convinced believers in that theory. Hence we infer that 
evidence to show that a certain process has taken place is 
not necessarily evidence as to the particular law of nature 
by which that process has been dominated. We have now 
to consider how far the doctrine of Organic Evolution has 
been confirmed by the theory of Natural Selection. 
Mr. Romanes contends that “the evidences which he 
(Mr. Darwin) adduced in favour of Natural Selection as 
a method have constituted some of the strongest reasons 
which scientific men have felt for accepting evolution as a 
fact.”* But in the context he makes admissions which 
tend to weaken this assertion. He says : “ I have made 
the evidences of evolution as a fact to stand independently 
on their own feet—feet which, in my opinion, are amply 
strong enough to bear any weight of adverse criticism that 
Darwin and After Darwin. p. 252.