on the relations of man to the lower animals-第10部分

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These　are　the　chief　facts；　this　the　immediate　conclusion　from　them　to
which　I　adverted　in　the　commencement　of　this　Essay。　　The　facts；　I
believe；　cannot　be　disputed；　and　if　so；　the　conclusion　appears　to　me　to
be　inevitable。

But　if　Man　be　separated　by　no　greater　structural　barrier　from　the　brutes
than　they　are　from　one　anotherthen　it　seems　to　follow　that　if　any
process　of　physical　causation　can　be　discovered　by　which　the　genera　and
families　of　ordinary　animals　have　been　produced；　that　process　of
causation　is　amply　sufficient　to　account　for　the　origin　of　Man。　　In
other　words；　if　it　could　be　shown　that　the　Marmosets；　for　example；　have
arisen　by　gradual　modification　of　the　ordinary　Platyrhini；　or　that　both
Marmosets　and　Platyrhini　are　modified　ramifications　of　a　primitive
stockthen；　there　would　be　no　rational　ground　for　doubting　that　man
might　have　originated；　in　the　one　case；　by　the　gradual　modification　of
a　man…like　ape；　or；　in　the　other　case；　as　a　ramification　of　the　same
primitive　stock　as　those　apes。

At　the　present　moment；　but　one　such　process　of　physical　causation　has
any　evidence　in　its　favour；　or；　in　other　words；　there　is　but　one
hypothesis　regarding　the　origin　of　species　of　animals　in　general　which
has　any　scientific　existencethat　propounded　by　Mr。　Darwin。　　For
Lamarck；　sagacious　as　many　of　his　views　were；　mingled　them　with　so　much
that　was　crude　and　even　absurd；　as　to　neutralize　the　benefit　which　his
originality　might　have　effected；　had　he　been　a　more　sober　and　cautious
thinker；　and　though　I　have　heard　of　the　announcement　of　a　formula
touching　〃the　ordained　continuous　becoming　of　organic　forms；〃　it　is
obvious　that　it　is　the　first　duty　of　a　hypothesis　to　be　intelligible；
and　that　a　qua…qua…versal　proposition　of　this　kind；　which　may　be　read
backwards；　or　forwards；　or　sideways；　with　exactly　the　same　amount　of
signification；　does　not　really　exist；　though　it　may　seem　to　do　so。

At　the　present　moment；　therefore；　the　question　of　the　relation　of　man　to
the　lower　animals　resolves　itself；　in　the　end；　into　the　larger　question
of　the　tenability；　or　untenability　of　Mr。　　Darwin's　views。　　But　here　we
enter　upon　difficult　ground；　and　it　behoves　us　to　define　our　exact
position　with　the　greatest　care。

It　cannot　be　doubted；　I　think；　that　Mr。　Darwin　has　satisfactorily　proved
that　what　he　terms　selection；　or　selective　modification；　must　occur；
and　does　occur；　in　nature；　and　he　has　also　proved　to　superfluity　that
such　selection　is　competent　to　produce　forms　as　distinct；　structurally；
as　some　genera　even　are。　　If　the　animated　world　presented　us　with　none
but　structural　differences；　I　should　have　no　hesitation　in　saying　that
Mr。　Darwin　had　demonstrated　the　existence　of　a　true　physical　cause；
amply　competent　to　account　for　the　origin　of　living　species；　and　of　man
among　the　rest。

But；　in　addition　to　their　structural　distinctions；　the　species　of
animals　and　plants；　or　at　least　a　great　number　of　them；　exhibit
physiological　characterswhat　are　known　as　distinct　species；
structurally；　being　for　the　most　part　either　altogether　incompetent　to
breed　one　with　another；　or　if　they　breed；　the　resulting　mule；　or
hybrid；　is　unable　to　perpetuate　its　race　with　another　hybrid　of　the
same　kind。

A　true　physical　cause　is；　however；　admitted　to　be　such　only　on　one
conditionthat　it　shall　account　for　all　the　phenomena　which　come
within　the　range　of　its　operation。　　If　it　is　inconsistent　with　any　one
phenomenon；　it　must　be　rejected；　if　it　fails　to　explain　any　one
phenomenon；　it　is　so　far　weak；　so　far　to　be　suspected；　though　it　may
have　a　perfect　right　to　claim　provisional　acceptance。

Now；　Mr。　Darwin's　hypothesis　is　not；　so　far　as　I　am　aware；　inconsistent
with　any　known　biological　fact；　on　the　contrary；　if　admitted；　the　facts
of　Development；　of　Comparative　Anatomy；　of　Geographical　Distribution；
and　of　Palaeontology；　become　connected　together；　and　exhibit　a　meaning
such　as　they　never　possessed　before；　and　I；　for　one；　am　fully
convinced；　that　if　not　precisely　true；　that　hypothesis　is　as　near　an
approximation　to　the　truth　as；　for　example；　the　Copernican　hypothesis
was　to　the　true　theory　of　the　planetary　motions。

But；　for　all　this；　our　acceptance　of　the　Darwinian　hypothesis　must　be
provisional　so　long　as　one　link　in　the　chain　of　evidence　is　wanting；
and　so　long　as　all　the　animals　and　plants　certainly　produced　by
selective　breeding　from　a　common　stock　are　fertile；　and　their　progeny
are　fertile　with　one　another；　that　link　will　be　wanting。　　For；　so　long；
selective　breeding　will　not　be　proved　to　be　competent　to　do　all　that　is
required　of　it　to　produce　natural　species。

I　have　put　this　conclusion　as　strongly　as　possible　before　the　reader；
because　the　last　position　in　which　I　wish　to　find　myself　is　that　of　an
advocate　for　Mr。　Darwin's；　or　any　other　viewsif　by　an　advocate　is
meant　one　whose　business　it　is　to　smooth　over　real　difficulties；　and　to
persuade　where　he　cannot　convince。

In　justice　to　Mr。　Darwin；　however；　it　must　be　admitted　that　the
conditions　of　fertility　and　sterility　are　very　ill　understood；　and　that
every　day's　advance　in　knowledge　leads　us　to　regard　the　hiatus　in　his
evidence　as　of　less　and　less　importance；　when　set　against　the　multitude
of　facts　which　harmonize　with；　or　receive　an　explanation　from；　his
doctrines。

I　adopt　Mr。　Darwin's　hypothesis；　therefore；　subject　to　the　production　of
proof　that　physiological　species　may　be　produced　by　selective　breeding；
just　as　a　physical　philosopher　may　accept　the　undulatory　theory　of
light；　subject　to　the　proof　of　the　existence　of　the　hypothetical　ether；
or　as　the　chemist　adopts　the　atomic　theory；　subject　to　the　proof　of　the
existence　of　atoms；　and　for　exactly　the　same　reasons；　namely；　that　it
has　an　immense　amount　of　prima　facie　probability：　that　it　is　the　only
means　at　present　within　reach　of　reducing　the　chaos　of　observed　facts
to　order；　and　lastly；　that　it　is　the　most　powerful　instrument　of
investigation　which　has　been　presented　to　naturalists　since　the
invention　of　the　natural　system　of　classification；　and　the　commencement
of　the　systematic　study　of　embryology。

But　even　leaving　Mr。　Darwin's　views　aside；　the　whole　analogy　of　natural
operations　furnishes　so　complete　and　crushing　an　argument　against　the
intervention　of　any　but　what　are　termed　secondary　causes；　in　the
production　of　all　the　phenomena　of　the　universe；　that；　in　view　of　the
intimate　relations　between　Man　and　the　rest　of　the　living　world；　and
between　the　forces　exerted　by　the　latter　and　all　other　forces；　I　can
see　no　excuse　for　doubting　that　all　are　co…ordinated　terms　of　Nature's
great　progression；　from　the　formless　to　the　formedfrom　the　inorganic
to　the　organicfrom　blind　force　to　conscious　intellect　and　will。

Science　has　fulfilled　her　function　when　she　has　ascertained　and
enunciated　truth；　and　were　these　pages　addressed　to　men　of　science
only；　I　should　now　close　this　essay；　knowing　that　my　colleagues　have
learned　to　respect　nothing　but　evidence；　and　to　believe　that　their
highest　duty　lies　in　submitting　to　it；　however　it　may　jar　against　their
inclinations。

But　desiring；　as　I　do；　to　reach　the　wider　circle　of　the　intelligent
public；　it　would　be　unworthy　cowardice　were　I　to　ignore　the　repugnance
with　which　the　majority　of　my　readers　are　likely　to　meet　the
conclusions　to　which　the　most　careful　and　conscientious　study　I　have
been　able　to　give　to　this　matter；　has　led　me。

On　all　sides　I　shall　hear　the　cry〃We　are　men　and　women；　not　a　mere
better　sort　of　apes；　a　little　longer　in　the　leg；　more　compact　in　the
foot；　and　bigger　in　brain　than　your　brutal　Chimpanzees　and　Gorillas。
The　power　of　knowledgethe　conscience　of　good　and　evilthe　pitiful
tenderness　of　human　affections；　raise　us　out　of　all　real　fellowship　with
the　brutes；　however　closely　they　may　seem　to　approximate　us。〃

To　this　I　can　only　reply　that　the　exclamation　would　be　most　just　and
would　have　my　own　entire　sympathy；　if　it　were　only　relevant。　　But；　it
is　not　I　who　seek　to　base　Man's　dignity　upon　his　great　toe；　or
insinuate　that　we　are　lost　if　an　Ape　has　a　hippocampus　minor。　　On　the
contrary；　I　have　done　my　best　to　sweep　away　this　vanity。　　I　have
endeavoured　to　show　that　no　absolute　structural　line　of　demarcation；
wider　than　that　between　the　animals　which　immediately　succeed　us　in　the
scale；　can　be　drawn　between　the　animal　world　and　ourselves；　and　I　may
add　the　expression　of　my　belief　that　the　attempt　to　draw　a　psychical
distinction　is　equally　futile；　and　that　even　the　highest　faculties　of
feeling　and　of　intellect　begin　to　germinate　in　lower　forms　of　life。*　At
the　same　time；　no　one　is　more　strongly　convinced　than　I　am　of　the
vastness　of　the　gulf　between　civilized　man　and　the　brutes；　or　is　more
certain　that　whether　'from'　them　or　not；　he　is　assuredly　not　'of'
them。　　No　one　is　less　disposed　to　think　lightly　of　the　present　dignity；
or　desparingly　of　the　future　hopes；　of　the　only　consciously　intelligent
denizen　of　this　world。

　　　　＇Footnote＇　*　It　is　so　rare　a　pleasure　for　me　to　find
　　　　Professor　Owen's　opinions　in　entire　accordance　with　my　own；
　　　　that　I　cannot　forbear　from　quoting　a　paragraph　which
　　　　appeared　in　his　Essay　〃On　the　Characters；　etc。；　of　the
　　　　Class　Mammalia；〃　in　the　'Journal　of　the　Proceedings　of　the
　　　　Linnean　Society　of　London'　for　1857；　but　is　unaccountably
　　　　omitted　in　the　〃Reade　Lecture〃　delivered　before　the
　　　　University　of　Cambridge　two　years　later；　which　is　otherwise
　　　　nearly　a　reprint　of　the　paper　in　question。　Prof。　Owen
　　　　writes：　　〃Not　being　able　to　appreciate　or　conceive　of　the
　　　　distinction　between　the　psychical　phenomena　of　a　Chimpanzee；
　　　　and　of　a　Boschisman　or　of　an　Aztec；　with　arrested　brain
　　　　growth；　as　being　of　a　nature　so　essential　as　to　preclude　a
　　　　comparison　between　them；　or　as　being　other　than　a
　　　　difference　of　degree；　I　cannot　shut　my　eyes　to　the
　　　　significance　of　that　all…pervading　similitude　of
　　　　structureevery　tooth；　every　bone；　strictly
　　　　homologouswhich　makes　the　determination　of　the　difference
　　　　between　'Homo'　and　'Pithecus'　the　anatomist's　difficulty。〃
　　　　Surely　it　is　a　little　singular；　that　the　'anatomist；'　who
　　　　finds　it　'difficult'　to　'determine　the　difference'　between