Like many of his contemporaries, Darwin was deeply influenced by religion and even studied theology at Cambridge University as a young man.

However, as his study of biology deepened, his belief in religion faded.

But Darwin did not become a clear-cut atheist, and he eventually maintained a similar agnostic view for a long time.

He is not particularly averse to religious activities, and at least so far, he has continued to live in the habit of attending worship services.

"Why don't you change the name to a more subtle one?" Darwin hesitated.

Ma Whistle: "Of course, you have that right, but I don't think there's a better name than On the Origin of Species." ”

"As for the Church, in any case, they are no longer the Church that can judge Galileo, and this is not Spain, which still holds the Inquisition. If you're still worried, just give some high-sounding explanations, what can they do to you? ”

"Moreover, the best way to avoid conflict with the church is to keep this book anonymous, and I don't think you want to see that outcome, do you?" ”

Darwin thought for a moment and finally nodded: "Okay, you're right, that's the name." ”

He added: "However, I think it should be more specific, for example, what do you think of ...... On the Origin of Species Based on Natural Selection, That is, the Preservation of the Superior Race in the Struggle for Survival? ”

This is exactly the full name of "On the Origin of Species" in history, but almost no one remembers it.

"With all due respect, Mr. Darwin, I think this name can do two things at once—to upset the church, and not to be seen." ”

Eventually, "On the Origin of Species" became the full title of the book.

The two discussed a little more about religion.

“…… When I was looking at living things everywhere, I found a lot of natural phenomena that did not conform to the teachings, such as parasites, and if nature was really God's good design, I don't understand why He created parasites, and this kind of filthy thing really has nothing to do with good intentions. Darwin spoke of his experience and asked, "What do you think of your own God?" ”

Ma Whistle: "We have many tribes with different beliefs, but in general, our religious system is relatively primitive, and has not evolved to be as complex as Christianity, and even the personality of God is rare. ”

"Evolution?" Darwin's expression moved, "Do you think religion also has an evolutionary process?" ”

Ma Whistle nodded: "Of course, primitive religions are always hazy, and they are strange until monotheism. Monotheism eliminated most religions in the same way that our ancestors eliminated other creatures, and many religions with undesirable traits such as not being good at expansion and not having a centralized god eventually became the dry bones of this evolution. ”

Darwin: "I'm curious, as a chief, have you tried to promote atheism or something in your own tribe?" ”

"Yes, but I failed." Ma Whistle sighed, "Now they think of me as a god. ”

Darwin: "So, a god-killer was put on the altar in the end?" ”

"It seems so." The horse whistle nodded helplessly.

"That sounds really interesting." Darwin laughed, "But seriously, I probably wouldn't be surprised if you suddenly had a glow on the top of your head, told me that you were actually the incarnation of God, and then demonstrated the evolution of the species with your own hands." ”

After a day of communication with Darwin.

The horse whistle packed up and ran to Lincolnshire the next day with a few retinues.

"Young Gentleman Boarding School ......"

Ma Whistle read the name on the plaque and looked at the school in front of him.

Although it is a school, its architecture looks more like an inn or something - a small red brick building with two floors and a low wall around it.

"Welcome, Mr. Whistle." George Boer walked out of the school in a hurry, looking tired and with a lot of chalk dust on his shirt, presumably just in class.

"Who is this?" The horse whistle looked beside Bull, a young girl in a long dress, who looked to be only sixteen or seventeen years old.

She ...... She was my student. Bull was inexplicably a little embarrassed.

The girl's eyes were also a little unusual, and the relationship between the two was probably not just as simple as a teacher and a student.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, dear Mr. Horse Whistle, and I am Mary Everest." The girl smiled and introduced herself.

Ma Whistle was stunned when he heard this: "Mount Everest? ”

The English name of Mount Everest is "Everest".

When everyone heard this, they were all inexplicable.

Mary Everus said, "You know my uncle? As far as I know, he has worked with mountains a lot and has measured the Himalayas, but it seems that there is no peak named after him. ”

"I've heard a little." Ma Whistle was a little embarrassed, so he could only say so.

He didn't know much about this history, but according to the girl's description, Mount Everest's English name, Mount Everest, was probably derived from her uncle.

Indeed, the British later named Mount Everest Everest in honor of Mary's uncle.

Mary herself is not well known in history, but her family has a number of celebrities, including her own Uncle Everest, her future daughter, Voynich, the author of "The Gadfly", and then Turing Award winner Jeffrey Hinton, as well as Han Ding and Han Chun, who have deep ties to China.

Of course, there is also the most important of her future husband, her current teacher, George Bull, one of the greatest mathematicians of the nineteenth century and the founder of mathematical logic.

However, this mathematician, who went down in history, did not achieve outstanding achievements at this time, and if you look at it from a secular point of view, it can even be said to be a failure.

Bull is in his thirties, but he still hasn't started a family, and he struggles to run a shabby school, teaching and running a business, trying to delve into math, but he is covered in chalk dust of trivial things.

His current situation seems to be particularly embarrassing.

Ma Whistle looked at him with a tired look: "Bull, you don't seem to be in good shape?" ”

Bull sighed slightly: "I'm sorry to greet you with this picture, my father has been very sick recently, which has made my work and life a bit messy." ”

"I may have told you that my father was a shoemaker, but he was very studious, taught himself a lot of math and taught it to me. Although I have long surpassed him in mathematics now, without his company and encouragement, I still feel lost, just like when I was a child......"

The horse whistle could guess that Bull was now in a hurry, and to some extent, it could be said that he had come at the right time.

So after a short conversation, he said, "Do you remember what I said earlier? ”

"Yes." Bull hesitated, "But you also saw my school, it is indeed very rudimentary, and there are not enough people......

Ma Whistle: "A philosopher in the East once said that no house can appear shabby inhabited by a noble soul. I'm sure that this school, even if it is ten times more humble, will still be respected because of you. ”

Hearing this, George Bull was quite moved.

Aside from the horse whistle, the only person who could give him such a high opinion was probably his student and admirer, that is, the little girl next to him, Mary Everest.

And compared to Mary Everest, the accolades from the father of thermodynamics are obviously much more golden.

Ma Whistle: "The key to a school is the teachers, and the facilities are very secondary. And the problem of the facilities can also be solved if you wish. ”

Boole: "What do you mean?" ”

"I have a small amount of money on hand, and if you don't mind, I can invest in or buy your school - at a decent price and improve its facilities." Of course, there are some conditions. ”

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ps：

Bull and her wife must have met a year later, and here is a little earlier.

There's a documentary called "The Genius of George Bull," which you can watch.