350 THE LIMITS OF NATURAL SELECTION 



an organ prepared for the use of civilized man, and 

 one which was required to render civilization possi- 

 ble. Apes make little use of their separate fingers 

 and opposable thumbs. They grasp objects rudely 

 and clumsily, and look as if a much less specialized 

 extremity would have served their purpose as well. 

 I do not lay much stress on this, but, if it be proved 

 that some intelligent power has guided or determined 

 the development of man, then we may see indications 

 of that power, in facts which, by themselves, would 

 not serve to prove its existence. 



Tlie voice of man. The same remark will apply 

 to another peculiarly human character, the wonder- 

 ful power, range, flexibility, and sweetness, of the 

 musical sounds producible by the human larynx, 

 especially in the female sex. The habits of savages 

 give no indication of how this faculty could have 

 been developed by natural selection; because it is 

 never required or used by them. The singing of 

 savages is a more or less monotonous howling, and 

 the females seldom sing at all. Savages certainly 

 never choose their wives for fine voices, but for rude 

 health, and strength, and physical beauty. Sexual 

 selection could not therefore have developed this won- 

 derful power, which only comes into play among 

 civilized people. It seems as if the organ had been 

 prepared in anticipation of the future progress of man, 

 since it contains latent capacities which are useless 

 to him in his earlier condition. The delicate correla- 

 tions of structure that give it such marvellous powers, 



