THE ORIGIN OF MUSIC. 9 



Some parts of Mr. Gurney's criticism I have already answered 

 by implication ; for he adopts the hypothesis that music originated 

 in the vocal utterances prompted by sexual feeling. To the rea- 

 sons above given for rejecting this hypothesis, I will add here, 

 what I might have added above, that it is at variance with one of 

 the fundamental laws of evolution. All development proceeds 

 from the general to the special. First there appear those traits 

 which a thing has in common with many other things ; then those 

 traits which it has in common with a smaller class of things ; and 

 so on until there eventually arise those traits which distinguish 

 it from everything else. The genesis which I have described con- 

 forms to this fundamental law. It posits the antecedent fact that 

 feeling in general produces muscular contraction in general ; and 

 the less general fact that feeling in general produces, among other 

 muscular contractions, those which move the respiratory and 

 vocal apparatus. With these it joins the still less general fact 

 that sounds indicative of feelings vary in sundry respects accord- 

 ing to the intensity of the feelings ; and then enumerates the still 

 less general facts which show us the kinship between the vocal 

 manifestations of feeling and the characters of vocal music : the 

 implication being that there has gone on a progressive specializa- 

 tion. But the view which Mr. Gurney adopts from Mr. Darwin is 

 that from the special actions producing the special sounds accom- 

 panying sexual excitement, were evolved those various actions 

 producing the various sounds which accompany all other feelings. 

 Vocal expression of a particular emotion came first, and from this 

 proceeded vocal expressions of emotions in general : the order of 

 evolution was reversed. 



To deficient knowledge of the laws of evolution are due sun- 

 dry of Mr. Gurney's objections. He makes a cardinal error in 

 assuming that a more evolved thing is distinguished from less 

 evolved things in respect of all the various traits of evolution ; 

 whereas, very generally, a higher degree of evolution in some or 

 most respects, is accompanied by an equal or lower degree of evo- 

 lution in other respects. On the average, increase of locomotive 

 power goes along with advance of evolution ; and yet numerous 

 mammals are more fleet than man. The stage of development is 

 largely indicated by degree of intelligence ; and yet the more 

 intelligent parrot is inferior in vision, in speed, and in destructive 

 appliances, to the less-intelligent hawk. The contrast between 

 birds and mammals well illustrates the general truth. A bird's 

 skeleton diverges more widely from the skeleton of the lower 

 vertebrates in respect of heterogeneity than does the skeleton of 

 a mammal ; and the bird has a more developed respiratory system, 

 as well as a higher temperature of blood, and a superior power of 

 locomotion. Nevertheless, many mammals in respect of bulk, in 



