Ciiap. V. CIVILISED NATIONS. 181 



some semi-bum an creature has been gradually raised to 

 the rank of man in his most perfect state, the present 

 subject cannot be quite passed over. But it has been 

 treated in so full and admirable a manner by Sir J. 

 Lubbock, 39 Mr. Tylor, Mr. M'Lennan, and others, that 

 1 need here give only the briefest summary of their 

 results. The arguments recently advanced by the 

 Duke of Argyll ^ and formerly by Archbishop Whately, 

 in favour of the belief that man came into the world 

 as a civilised being and that all savages have since 

 undergone degradation, seem to me weak in comparison 

 with those advanced on the other side. Many nations, 

 no doubt, have fallen away in civilisation, and some 

 may have lapsed into utter barbarism, though on this 

 latter head I have not met with any evidence. The 

 Fuegians were probably compelled by other conquering 

 hordes to settle in their inhospitable country, and they 

 may have become in consequence somewhat more 

 degraded ; but it would be difficult to prove that they 

 have fallen much below the Botocudos who inhabit the 

 finest parts of Brazil. 



The evidence that all civilised nations are the de- 

 scendants of barbarians, consists, on the one side, of 

 clear traces of their former low condition in still-existing 

 customs, beliefs, language, &c. ; and on the other side, 

 of proofs that savages are independently able to raise 

 themselves a few steps in the scale of civilisation, and 

 have actually thus risen. The evidence on the first 

 head is extremely curious, but cannot be here given : 

 I refer to such cases as that, for instance, of the art of 

 enumeration, which, as Mr. Tylor clearly shews by the 

 words still used in some places, originated in counting 



29 'On tke Origin of Civilisation,' ' Proc. Ethnological Soc' Nov. 

 26, 1867. 



29 'Primeval Man,' 1869. 



