228 THE DESCENT OF MAN. Part I. 



species " might here be used with much propriety. But 

 from long habit the term " race " will perhaps always 

 be employed. The choice of terms is only so far im- 

 portant as it is highly desirable to use, as far as that 

 may be possible, the same terms for the same degrees of 

 difference. Unfortunately this is rarely possible ; for 

 within the same family the larger genera generally 

 include closely-allied forms, which can be distinguished 

 only with much difficulty, whilst the smaller genera 

 include forms that are perfectly distinct ; yet all must 

 equally be ranked as species. So again the species 

 within the same large genus by no means resemble 

 each other to the same degree : on the contrary, in 

 most cases some of them can be arranged in little groups 

 round other species, like satellites round planets. 19 



The question whether mankind consists of one or 

 several species has of late years been much agitated by 

 anthropologists, who are divided into two schools of 

 monogenists and polygenists. Those who do not admit 

 the principle of evolution, must look at species either 

 as separate creations or as in some manner distinct 

 entities ; and they must decide what forms to rank as 

 species by the analogy of other organic beings which 

 are commonly thus received. But it is a hopeless en- 

 deavour to decide this point on sound grounds, until 

 some definition of the term " species " is generally ac- 

 cepted ; and the definition must not include an element 

 which cannot possibly be ascertained, such as an act of 

 creation. We might as well attempt without any defi- 

 nition to decide whether a certain number of houses 

 should be called a village, or town, or city. We have a 

 practical illustration of the difficulty in the never- 



19 



' Origin of Species,' 5th edit. p. 68. 



