CHAPTER XV. 



PRIMITIVE MAN. CONSIDERED WITH REFERENCE TO MODERN 



THEORIES AS TO HIS ORIGIN (continued). 



IN the previous chapter we have seen that, on general 

 grounds, evolution as applied to man is untenable ; 

 and that the theory of creation is more rational and 

 less liable to objection. We may now consider how 

 the geological and zoological conditions of man's 

 advent on the earth accord with evolution; and I 

 think we shall find, as might be expected, that they 

 oppose great if not fatal difficulties to this hypothesis. 



One of the first and most important facts with 

 reference to the appearance of man, is that he is 

 a very recent animal, dating no farther back in 

 geological time than the Post-glacial period, at the 

 close of the Tertiary and beginning of the Modern 

 era of geology. Further, inasmuch as the oldest 

 known remains of man occur along with those of 

 animals which still exist, and the majority of which are 

 probably not of older date, there is but slender proba- 

 bility that any much older human remains will ever 

 be found. Now this has a bearing on the question 

 of the derivation of man, which, though it has not 

 altogether escaped the attention of the evolutionists, 

 has not met with sufficient consideration. 



