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A reference to Kant （See Brock； 〃Die Stellung Kant's zur Deszendenztheorie；〃 〃Biol。 Centralbl。〃 VIII。 1889； pages 641…648。 Fritz Schultze； 〃Kant und Darwin〃； Jena； 1875。） should come in historical order after Buffon； with whose writings he was acquainted； but he seems； along with Herder and Schelling； to be best regarded as the culmination of the evolutionist philosophersof those at least who interested themselves in scientific problems。 In a famous passage he speaks of 〃the agreement of so many kinds of animals in a certain common plan of structure〃。。。an 〃analogy of forms〃 which 〃strengthens the supposition that they have an actual blood…relationship； due to derivation from a common parent。〃 He speaks of 〃the great Family of creatures； for as a Family we must conceive it； if the above…mentioned continuous and connected relationship has a real foundation。〃 Prof。 Osborn alludes to the scientific caution which led Kant； biology being what it was； to refuse to entertain the hope 〃that a Newton may one day arise even to make the production of a blade of grass comprehensible； according to natural laws ordained by no intention。〃 As Prof。 Haeckel finely observes； Darwin rose up as Kant's Newton。 （Mr Alfred Russel Wallace writes： 〃We claim for Darwin that he is the Newton of natural history； and that； just so surely as that the discovery and demonstration by Newton of the law of gravitation established order in place of chaos and laid a sure foundation for all future study of the starry heavens； so surely has Darwin； by his discovery of the law of natural selection and his demonstration of the great principle of the preservation of useful variations in the struggle for life； not only thrown a flood of light on the process of development of the whole organic world； but also established a firm foundation for all future study of nature〃 （〃Darwinism〃； London； 1889； page 9）。 See also Prof。 Karl Pearson's 〃Grammar of Science〃 （2nd edition）； London； 1900； page 32。 See Osborn； op。 cit。 Page 100。））
The scientific renaissance brought a wealth of fresh impressions and some freedom from the tyranny of tradition； and the twofold stimulus stirred the speculative activity of a great variety of men from old Claude Duret of Moulins； of whose weird transformism （1609） Dr Henry de Varigny （〃Experimental Evolution〃。 London； 1892。 Chap。 1。 page 14。） gives us a glimpse； to Lorenz Oken （1799…1851） whose writings are such mixtures of sense and nonsense that some regard him as a far…seeing prophet and others as a fatuous follower of intellectual will…o'…the…wisps。 Similarly； for De Maillet； Maupertuis； Diderot； Bonnet； and others； we must agree with Professor Osborn that they were not actually in the main Evolution movement。 Some have been included in the roll of honour on very slender evidence； Robinet for instance； whose evolutionism seems to us extremely dubious。 （See J。 Arthur Thomson； 〃The Science of Life〃。 London； 1899。 Chap。 XVI。 〃Evolution of Evolution Theory〃。）
The first naturalist to give a broad and concrete expression to the evolutionist doctrine of descent was Buffon （1707…1788）； but it is interesting to recall the fact that his contemporary Linnaeus （1707…1778）； protagonist of the counter…doctrine of the fixity of species （See Carus Sterne （Ernest Krause）； 〃Die allgemeine Weltanschauung in ihrer historischen Entwickelung〃。 Stuttgart； 1889。 Chapter entitled 〃Bestandigkeit oder Veranderlichkeit der Naturwesen〃。）； went the length of admitting （in 1762） that new species might arise by intercrossing。 Buffon's position among the pioneers of the evolution…doctrine is weakened by his habit of vacillating between his own conclusions and the orthodoxy of the Sorbonne； but there is no doubt that he had a firm grasp of the general idea of 〃l'enchainement des etres。〃
Erasmus Darwin （1731…1802）； probably influenced by Buffon； was another firm evolutionist； and the outline of his argument in the 〃Zoonomia〃 （〃Zoonomia； or the Laws of Organic Life〃； 2 vols。 London； 1794； Osborn op。 cit。 page 145。） might serve in part at least to…day。 〃When we revolve in our minds the metamorphoses of animals； as from the tadpole to the frog； secondly； the changes produced by artificial cultivation； as in the breeds of horses； dogs； and sheep； thirdly； the changes produced by conditions of climate and of season； as in the sheep of warm climates being covered with hair instead of wool； and the hares and partridges of northern climates becoming white in winter： when； further； we observe the changes of structure produced by habit； as seen especially in men of different occupations； or the changes produced by artificial mutilation and prenatal influences； as in the crossing of species and production of monsters； fourth； when we observe the essential unity of plan in all warm…blooded animals；we are led to conclude that they have been alike produced from a similar living filament〃。。。〃From thus meditating upon the minute portion of time in which many of the above changes have been produced； would it be too bold to imagine； in the great length of time since the earth began to exist； perhaps millions of years before the commencement of the history of mankind； that all warm…blooded animals have arisen from one living filament？〃。。。〃This idea of the gradual generation of all things seems to have been as familiar to the ancient philosophers as to the modern ones； and to have given rise to the beautiful hieroglyphic figure of the proton oon； or first great egg； produced by night； that is； whose origin is involved in obscurity； and animated by Eros； that is； by Divine Love； from whence proceeded all things which exist。〃
Lamarck （1744…1829） seems to have become an evolutionist independently of Erasmus Darwin's influence； though the parallelism between them is striking。 He probably owed something to Buffon； but he developed his theory along a different line。 Whatever view be held in regard to that theory there is no doubt that Lamarck was a thorough…going evolutionist。 Professor Haeckel speaks of the 〃Philosophie Zoologique〃 as 〃the first connected and thoroughly logical exposition of the theory of descent。〃 （See Alpheus S。 Packard； 〃Lamarck； the Founder of Evolution； His Life and Work； with Translations of his writings on Organic Evolution〃。 London； 1901。）
Besides the three old masters； as we may call them； Buffon； Erasmus Darwin； and Lamarck； there were other quite convinced pre…Darwinian evolutionists。 The historian of the theory of descent must take account of Treviranus whose 〃Biology or Philosophy of Animate Nature〃 is full of evolutionary suggestions； of Etienne Geoffroy St Hilaire； who in 1830； before the French Academy of Sciences； fought with Cuvier； the fellow…worker of his youth； an intellectual duel on the question of descent； of Goethe； one of the founders of morphology and the greatest poet of Evolutionwho； in his eighty…first year； heard the tidings of Geoffroy St Hilaire's defeat with an interest which transcended the political anxieties of the time； and of many others who had gained with more or less confidence and clearness a new outlook on Nature。 It will be remembered that Darwin refers to thirty…four more or less evolutionist author