9 
have been something far higher, far nobler, than he is. We look 
upon such countries as Spain and Turkey as degenerated, because 
they once had grand opportunities of developing themselves. So 
we may study forms most nearly related to any species of animals, 
those which had the same start in life; and see what they have 
developed into ; and then try to discover whether this special form 
might not have done something similar, and why it has failed. 
There are, as every one must acknowledge, animals in the world 
occupying positions, and performing functions which we shrink 
from, believing they were specially created to occupy and to per- 
form—I mean such examples as Parasites, and especially those 
Imown as Entozoa, which prey on the internal organs of creatures 
infinitely higher than themselves, whose life may be a prolonged 
agony through the necessities of their existence. As I hope toshow 
you presently, we have every possible reason for concluding that 
they are not in their proper places in the world; that many of them 
started in a higher condition, came into existence with opportu- 
nities, of which they have failed (we know not how or why), to take 
advantage, and so they have gone wrong. There has been a 
physical fall among these animals, just as there has been a moral 
fall in man. 
It would be a great scientific heresy if we were to suggest spon- 
taneous generation. I, for one, am not going to do so, as I do not 
for one moment believe in it; but it would do away with a few 
serious mental difficulties. And if I am putting a few of these 
forward tentatively, it is in the real hope of getting them discussed. 
We are told now by very high authorities that many diseases are 
brought about by actual living organisms—bacteria, bacilli, &c. 
Now how and why were these organisms created ? Where did the 
first bacillus, say of splenic fever, come from? Was it anaccidental 
or intentional production? Are we to regard these microbes as 
retrogressive forms, or as potentially progressive ? Of what benefit 
are they? ‘To call them specially into existence as they are—and 
they must have had a beginning, however they may be propagated 
_ now—would seem to be the creation of a positively Evil Thing. 
One can hardly wonder that the untutored mind of earlier times, 
looking (not upon these, it is true, but) upon similar things, 
regarded them as proofs of the existence of two creators, one of 
good, the other of evil things—Ormuzd and Ahriman. But if there 
Were such a process as spontaneous generation, there would be less 
difficulty in seeing how occasionally an inconvenient thing might 
be developed. Here is perhaps another point for your discussion. 
What then are the degenerate forms? Well, I should say that 
if an animal started in life specially provided with suitable limbs, and 
‘such useful organs as eyes and mouth; and after a time lost them 
