477 
easily understood, and the adoption of its salient principles 
as household words, have largely contributed to the ac 
ceptance and popularity of the doctrine. 
And this brings me to the consideration of another point. 
Is the ready acceptance of a theory a proof of its truth ? 
Mr. Wallace declares that “in less than eight years The 
Origin of Species has produced conviction in the minds of 
a majority of the most eminent living men of science.”* 
And he goes on to say that “ new facts, new problems, 
new difficulties, as they arise, are accepted, solved, or 
removed by this theory.” But, in the same chapter, he 
himself shows that it is possible that a false theory may 
meet with a speedy acceptance, though it may not be able 
to stand the test of time ; and he gives as an illustration 
the Circular and Quinarían System of classification pro 
pounded by MacLeay and developed by Swainson. Yet 
it quite died out in a few short years. In cases which are 
not susceptible of mathematical proof, it is quite pos 
sible that a false theory may be accepted as soon as 
propounded. It would not be too much to say that a false 
theory which takes a superficial view and offers an easy 
explanation, may triumph over the complicated statement 
of a congeries of scientific truths. 
But while a false theory may enjoy a temporary triumph 
more or less protracted, it does not follow by any manner 
of means that a true theory will be at once accepted, even 
when it is susceptible of mathematical proof. Mr. Fiske 
says :— 
“Newton’s law of gravitation, though proved by the strictest 
mathematical proof, received from many eminent men but a slow and 
grudging acquiescence. Even Leibnitz, who, as a mathematician 
hardly inferior to Newton himself, might have been expected to be 
convinced on simple inspection of the theory, was prevented from 
Contributions, pp. 46-7.