X.] , IN ANIMALS AND MAN 43 



the electric current, Oerstedt electro-magnetism, while it was 

 necessary for Seebeck, Ampere, and Faraday to base upon this 

 still further discoveries. In like manner most of these dis- 

 coveries had to be made before first Soemmering and then 

 Gauss and Weber could use the electric current for signalling 

 at a distance ; and even then a whole series of practical 

 improvements in telegraphy necessarily preceded Hughes' 

 printing telegraph. One discovery is ever built upon another ; 

 and the history of music is not less a history of inventions than 

 that of the electric telegraph. 



It is therefore impossible for even the greatest genius to pass 

 directly from simple melody to symphony. 



I should like to suggest the further question whether it is 

 quite certain that Mozarts could not have existed in ancient 

 times ; in other words, whether the supposed increase in 

 musical talent has in reality taken place as a historical fact, 

 or w^hether the talent was not inherent in man from the begin- 

 ning, while its expression, i. e. music itself, has undergone 

 progressive increase and development. 



At first sight the question may appear to be very strange ; 

 but I believe that it is perfectly justifiable. Indeed I am of the 

 opinion that the suggestion implied in the question is entirely 

 valid. I have shown that from the mere fact that symphonies 

 are not composed by savages, we are not entitled to conclude 

 that Mozarts have not existed among them ; or, to put it still 

 more clearly, we are not entitled without further proof to 

 infer that savages never possess high musical talents because 

 their music is but lowly developed. Such talent might very 

 well exist, but could not produce any marked effect, because of 

 the low level attained by the musical environment. 



I am satisfied by the proof afforded by numerous facts that 

 this is really the case, and that therefore the high musical 

 talent which is more or less possessed by civilized man at the 

 present time, does not depend upon a gradual increase in the 

 musical sense, and that such increase being non-existent does 

 not require explanation. No such rise and increase of the 

 musical faculty by itself has taken place. The musical sense 

 is rather an ancient possession of mankind chiefly depending 

 upon the highly developed auditory organ, and this was 

 transferred to man from his animal ancestors and has not 



