CHAPTER I 1

Rise of the Theory of Natural Selection and its Subsequent Development

Pre-Darwinian Evolutionists—Causes which led to the speedy triumph of the theory of Natural Selection—Nature of the opposition which Darwin had to overcome—Post-Darwinian biology—Usually accepted classification of present-day biologists as Neo-Lamarckians and Neo-Darwinians is faulty—Biologists fall into three classes rather than two—Neo-Lamarckism: its defects—Wallaceism: its defects—Neo-Darwinism distinguished from Neo-Lamarckism and Wallaceism—Neo-Darwinism realises the strength and weakness of the theory of Natural Selection, recognises the complexity of the problems which biologists are endeavouring to solve.