ABSTRACT
Lyell's rejection of evolutionism and his inability to find a natural explanation for the introduction of the animate world left the whole question of the origin of species in the province of natural theology. To appreciate the more than vestigial character of natural theology in The Origin, the readers must take a closer look at the Anglo-American tradition of natural theology. Beginning with the edition of The Origin and continuing with some variation through the sixth and final edition three separate citations favorable to natural theology appeared on the fly-leaf of Darwin's book. Viewed from the context of the universe of discourse to which The Origin belonged, Darwin's persuasive victory was indeed ironic. Truly, Darwin's ability to appropriate many of the very argumentative elements of his opponents to his own use made The Origin equally elegant whether viewed from a rhetorical or a scientific point of view.
