MAN AND APES. 173 



resemblances between man and apes are such 

 that man may be conceived to have descended 

 from some ancient members of the broad-breast- 

 boned group of apes, and the Gorilla is still 

 popularly credited with the closest relationship 

 to him which is to be found in all existing 

 apes. 



As to the latter opinion, evidence has been 

 here adduced to show that it is quite un- 

 tenable. 



As to Mr. Darwin's proposition, much re- 

 mains to be said. But it is certainly true 

 that on the whole the anatomical characters 

 of man's body have much more resemblance 

 to those common to the latisternal group than 

 to those presented by any other section of the 

 order Primates. 



But, in the first place, we should consider 

 what evidence of common origin does com- 

 munity of structure afford. 



The human structural characters are shared 

 by so many and such diverse forms, that 

 it is impossible to arrange even groups of 



