of the animals of the Malay Archipelago. He had not the
faintest knowledge of what Darwin was doing, but was influenced, of
course, like Darwin, by what he read in Malthus. Interesting to
relate, he had come to exactly the same conclusions, writing his
opinions in the form of an essay. By the strangest sort of
coincidence, he sent this essay to Charles Darwin, asking him to read
it, and, if he thought it was not altogether too foolish, to send it
to Lyell for publication by the Linnaean Society. Darwin read with
utter astonishment this essay containing views so absolutely like
those that had come to him from his own long series of observations
and reflections. With uncommon magnanimity his first impulse was to
withhold his own publication entirely, but to this Lyell and Hooker
would not for a moment consent. They were determined that Darwin
should give them his long series of notebooks as evidence of the
independence of his work and that he present to the Linnaean Society,
simultaneously with Wallace's paper, one of his own upon the same
subject. In this manly form both essays were read at the next meeting
of the society. The joint papers provoked instant discussion and
prompt opposition. The world at large scarcely admitted a possible
doubt of the fixity of species. Men generally believed the idea to be
absolutely irreconcilable with their religious faith. Any question of
the fact that the species of to-day exist practically as they had been
handed down to the earth in the beginning by the Creator himself
seemed to most men a direct blow at religion. At this time a very
large number of natural scientists were clergymen, hence the
opposition had abundant and influential support. The storm grew
fiercer and more widespread. The publication in 1859 of Darwin's great
book on "The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or the
Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life" added fuel to
the flame.

In 1860 the British Association met in Oxford, and Bishop Wilberforce,
the retiring president, in accordance with the custom of the society,
gave a summary of the advance of science, especially during the
preceding year. Everyone knew perfectly that the bishop would deal
with the species question, and that he would handle it severely.
Darwin was prevented by his usual ill health from being present at
this meeting, but Huxley was there to see that their side of the
question received proper attention. The bishop m