Ray Lankester, who, in replying to the
President's graceful speech, referred to the happy relationships which
had existed between the contemporary men of science of his own time, but
with special reference to Darwin and Wallace he said:
Never was there a more beautiful example of modesty, of unselfish
admiration for another's work, of loyal determination that the
other should receive the full merit of his independent labours and
thoughts, than was shown by Charles Darwin on that occasion....
Subsequently, throughout all their arduous work and varied
publications upon the great doctrine which they on that day
unfolded to humanity ... the same complete absence of rivalry
characterised these high-minded Englishmen, even when in some
outcomes of their doctrine they were not in perfect agreement....
I think I am able to say that great as was the interest excited by
the new doctrine in the scientific world, and wild and angry as
was the opposition to it in some quarters, few, if any, who took
part in the scenes attending the birth and earlier reception of
Darwin's "Origin of Species" had a prevision of the enormous and
all-important influence which that doctrine was destined to
exercise upon every line of human thought.
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