XII.] 



THEOLOGY AND EVOLUTION. 



321 



faculty could have been developed by Natural Selection ; 

 because it is never required or used by tliem. 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 strengtli 

 and physical beauty. Sexual selection could not therefore 

 have developed this wonderful power, which only comes 

 into play among civilized people. It seems as if the organ 

 liad 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 correlations 

 of structure that give it such marvellous powers could 

 not therefore have been acquired by means of Natural 

 Selection." 



To this may be added the no less wonderful faculty in 

 the ear of appreciating delicate musical tones, and the 

 harmony of chords. 



FIBRES OF CORTI. 



It matters not what part of the organ subserves this 

 function, but it has been supposed that it is ministered to 

 by the fibres of Corti} Now it can hardly be contended 

 that the preservation of any race of men in the struggle for 

 life could have depended on such an extreme delicacy and 



^ See Professor Huxley's " Lessons iu Elementary Physiology," p. 218. 



