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Articles

“That Mystery of Mysteries”

Toni Vogel Carey on a forgotten solution to the question of the origin of new species.

In 1836 the English astronomer and polymath scientist John Herschel wrote to Charles Lyell, praising his Principles of Geology, and his courage in addressing “that mystery of mysteries, the replacement of extinct species by others.” Herschel then went on to assert:

“The creator … operates through a series of intermediate causes, and … in consequence the origination of fresh species, could it ever come under our cognizance, would be found to be a natural in contradistinction to a miraculous process.”

This part of Herschel’s groundbreaking letter was made public, and it brought a sigh of relief to the English scientific community. As Lyell wrote to William Whewell, an important figure in the English scientific world:

“You remember what Herschel said in his letter to me. If I had stated as plainly as he has done the possibility of the introduction or origination of fresh species being a natural, in contradistinction to a miraculous process, I should have raised a host of prejudices against me, which are unfortunately opposed at every step to any philosopher who attempts to address the public on these mysterious subjects.

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