In his own words:
Such is the sum of the several chief objections and difficulties which may justly be urged against my theory; and I have now briefly recapitulated the answers and explanations which can be given to them.
I have felt these difficulties far too heavily during many years to doubt their weight. But it deserved especial notice that the more important objections related to questions on which we are confessedly ignorant; nor do we know how ignorant we are.
We do not know all the possible transitional gradations between the simplest and the most perfect organs; it cannot be pretended that we know all the varied means of Distribution during the long lapse of years, or that we know how imperfect the Geologic Record is.
Grave as these several difficulties are, in my judgement they do not overthrow the theory of descent with modification.
Geologic timescale from Encyclopedia Britannica; see also http://www.chronos.org/downloads/timetowerparis_highres.png
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