4 6; 
to me to be putting the cart before the horse. Let us 
try to make this clear by an illustration. Let us suppose 
that men had ceased to paint pictures, and that they 
contented themselves with reproducing existing paintings 
by the process of chromo-lithography. Let us further 
suppose that a controversy arose as to the authenticity of 
a painting supposed to be from the hand of an ancient 
master. The logical process would surely be first to prove 
that the work was hand-painted, and then to give reasons 
for believing that it was from some particular hand. But 
what should we say if the expert were to give some reasons 
of little weight for the belief that it was the work of a 
particular artist, and were then to test that assertion 
by proofs that it was not a chromo-lithograph, but that it 
had been hand-painted ? 
In the same spirit Mr. Darwin treats the difficulties 
accompanying the arguments for Organic Evolution as 
though they were the difficulties especially belonging 
to the theory of Natural Selection. 
“ In considering the theory of Natural Selection he will assuredly 
meet with weighty difficulties, but these difficulties relate chiefly to 
subjects—such as the degree of perfection of the geological record, 
the means of distribution, the possibility of transitions in organs, &c. 
—on which we are confessedly ignorant ; nor do we know how 
ignorant we are. If we are much more ignorant than is generally 
supposed, most of these difficulties wholly disappear.”—(The 
Variation, vol. /., ft. ij.) 
Here the chief difficulties in accepting the fact of 
Organic Evolution are regarded as the chief difficulties to 
the particular method of Organic Evolution. This treat 
ment of the subject creates the impression of extreme 
candour; and it may even seem to the eager opponent 
that Mr. Darwin is giving himself and his cause away. 
But in recognising these difficulties he is only doing what 
all believers in Organic Evolution ought to do, quite apart