PROFESSOR AGASSIZ ON DARWIN. 103 



edge, we are in a better position to talk. Tliat is the thought 

 I wanted to express fii'st, — that everywhere differences, in 

 matters of religion, in matters of politics, in matters of science, 

 arise from our inability to know enough to agree with one 

 another. 



Now the subject before us is so wide that in fact it opens 

 the whole field of human knowledge. Let me point out at 

 once a few ranges of thought which have been suggested, which 

 will show how wide the subject is. "Like begets like" is a 

 proverb generally admitted, like an axiom. Well, it is founded 

 on the generally received view that mankind is derived from 

 one original pair. Now, if like begets like, why are there 

 negroes ? why are there Indians ? why are there Australians ? 

 and why do we differ from them ? We do not know, and that 

 is the reason of our difierence of opinion about that matter. 

 And what is the fact with reference to the question of unity 

 or diversity among men is equally a fact with reference to 

 the animal kingdom. There was a time when naturalists 

 seemed pretty well agreed in the opinion (not in the knowl- • 

 edge) that animals had been introduced upon earth with all 

 their characteristic features, and that they had propagated, 

 multiplied and spread over the earth, canying with them all 

 their characteristic features. Now, a majority of the natural- 

 ists, led by Darwin, than whom there is hardly another as able 

 observer, hold that the whole animal world has orio-inated from 

 a few, say perhaps four original t}i3es, from which all have 

 descended from successive transformations and changes. This 

 does not look much like the generally received idea that " like 

 begets like," but, on the contrary, it would seem to prove that 

 like begets unlike, and that in order to have mankind upon 

 earth, there must have been monkeys before ; for the doctrine 

 is now taught that we are descended from monkeys. But do 

 we know it? Does Darwin know it? I believe not. It is an 

 opinion, and there we differ, because of our ignorance. So, 

 if I differ from you. Dr. Allen, do not think it is because I 

 do not value the statements you have made, and so far as what 

 you have said is a part of your knowledge, I believe we shall 

 agree ; but so far as it is your opinion expressed on questions 

 which are not established by real investigation, we may differ 

 and shall differ. 



