44 The Descent of Man 



having acquired a higher intellectual nature ; and in another 

 (vol. ii. p. 391), by ascribing his higher intellectual nature to 

 his having acquired that faculty. 



Our author's attempts to bridge over the chasm which 

 separates instinctive cries from rational speech are remark- 

 able examples of groundless speculation. Thus he ventures 

 to say 



' that primeval man, or rather some early progenitor of man, pro- 

 bahly used his voice largely, as does one of the gibbon-apes at the 

 present day, in producing true musical cadences, that is, in singing ; 

 we may conclude from a widely-spread analogy that this power would 

 have been especially exerted during the courtship of the sexes, serving 

 to express various emotions, as love, jealousy, triumph, and serving 

 ,as a challenge to their rivals. The imitation by articulate sounds of 

 musical cries might have given rise to words expressive of various 

 complex emotions.' 



And again : — 



' It does not appear altogether incredible^ that some unusually 

 wise ape-like animal should have thought of imitating the growl of a 

 beast of prey, so as to indicate to his fellow-monkeys the nature of 

 the expected danger. And this would have been a first step in the 

 formation of a language.' — Vol. i. p. 56. 



But the question is, not whether it is incredible, but 

 whether there are any data whatever to warrant such a 

 supposition. Mr. Darwin brings forward none: we suspect 

 none could be brought forward. 



It is not, however, emotional expressions or manifestations 

 of sensible impressions, in whatever way exhibited, w^hich 

 have to be accounted for, but the enunciation of distinct 

 deliberate judgment as to 'the w^hat,' 'the how,' and 'the 

 why/ by definite articulate sounds ; and for these Mr. Darmn 

 not only does not account, but he does not adduce anything 

 even tending to account for them. Altogether we may fairly 

 conclude, from the complete failure of Mr. Darwin to establish 



