CHAPTER X. 

 PROGRESSION IN EVOLUTION. 



We saw in the eighth chapter, that the production of 

 new Linneons, usually called ,,species", is generally 

 designated as progressive evolution, and that this 

 kind of evolution is considered by many the evolution 

 par excellence. 



We must therefore devote a chapter to the question 

 of Progression in Evolution. 



This question of progression is a vexed one; there 

 is in the human mind a craving towards improve- 

 ment in everything, which makes mankind believe, 

 but all too readily, that things are better to day than 

 they were yesterday, and wil be better still to morrow. 



Perhaps the only good, that will come of the dam- 

 nable war which is reigning over the greater part of 

 the ,,civilised" world, will be the recognition that we 

 did not progress as much as we thought we did, that 

 man is little better or rather worse than he was f. i. 

 in roman times. 



But man is such a curious animal, that he will forget 

 in a few years how he behaved in these years as a 

 beast, and pride himself again on his ,,progression" ! 

 There is no more conceited being in all nature than 

 man, and this conceit is a snare, in which he is caught 

 every time he looks at the universe from the stand- 

 point, so tickling to his vanity, that he almost un- 



