The Descent of Man. 53 



tainly give an immense advantage to one tribe over another.' 

 No doubt! but this only explains an augmentation of 

 mutually beneficial actions. It does not in the least even 

 tend to explain how the moral judgment was first formed. 



Having thus examined Mr. Darwin's theory of Sexual 

 Selection, and his comparison of the mental powers of man 

 (including their moral application) with those of the lower 

 animals, we have a few remarks to make upon his mode of 

 conducting his argument. 



In the first place, we must repeat what we have already 

 said as to his singular dogmatism, and, in the second place, 

 we must complain of the way in which he positively affirms 

 again and again the existence of the very things which have 

 to be proved. Thus, to take for instance the theory of the 

 descent of man from some inferior form, he says: — 'The 

 grounds upon w^hich this conclusion rests will never he 

 shaken ' (vol. ii. p. 385), and ' the possession of exalted mental 

 powers is no insuperable objection to this conclusion' (vol. i. 

 p. 107). Speaking of sympathy, he boldly remarks : — ' This 

 instinct no doubt was originally acquired like all the other 

 social instincts through natural selection' (vol. i. p. 164); and 

 ' the ftmdamental social instincts were originally thus gained' 

 (vol. i. p. 178). 



Again, as to the stridulating organs of insects, he says : — 

 'No one who admits the agency of natural selection, will 

 dispute that these musical instruments have been acquired 

 through sexual selection.' Speaking of the peculiarities of 

 humming-birds and pigeons, Mr. Darwin observes : — ' The sole 

 difference between these cases is, that in one the result is due 

 to man's selection, whilst in the other, as with humming- 

 birds, birds of paradise, etc., it is due to sexual selection, — 

 that is, to the selection by the females of the more beautiful 

 males' (vol. ii. p. 78). Of birds, the males of which are 

 brilliant, but the hens are only slightly so, he remarks: — 



