40 EVOLUTION AND MAN S PLACE IN NATURE 



as to how these actions are done are fruitful of dis 

 putation. This familiar fact may prepare us for 

 perplexities to be expected in seeking a scientific 

 account of our own activity. The difficulty arises 

 from the fact, that search soon carries us beyond 

 observation. The consequence is that criticism of 

 rival theories of procedure proves difficult even for 

 highly educated men. 



The simplest mode of approach to our problem is 

 the comparative method, setting human life in con 

 trast with subordinate types. We shall thus, as far 

 as possible, escape abstract reasoning, keeping 

 observation connected with the facts of natural 

 history, and also assigning full value to the knowledge 

 of human nature supplied by anatomy and physio 

 logy. We are not to consider man apart from his sur 

 roundings. We must be ready not only to say that 

 nothing human is alien to us ; but that nothing be 

 longing to any life on the earth is without value in 

 directing this inquiry. This Avide range of interest is 

 the more readily maintained, that a uniform plan of 

 structure is seen to hold for all organic existence. 

 Accordingly, a large proportion of life-characteristics 

 are common to all forms of life. We must, therefore, 

 first be occupied with common features, before 

 enumerating those special. On this account, we 

 may find it possible, so far as the earlier part of the 

 discussion is concerned, to agree with Professor 

 Huxley s 1 suggestion in favour of expressing facts in 

 terminology applicable to things material. From the 

 physiologist s point of view, this suggestion is natural. 

 Words must, however, be applicable to things de- 

 1 Lay Sermons, p. 135. 



