PERFECTIBILITY OF MAN. 171 



with the supposition of one common source on the 

 globe. 



Another enquiry under earnest discussion at the 

 present time is yet more closely linked with the sub- 

 ject before us. This is, the question as to the origin of 

 species in the animal world whether they are severally 

 acts of special creation, or derived by successive grada- 

 tions of evolution or transmutation from one or more 

 primordial forms of life ? Under the latter view man 

 cannot easily be excluded from the series so established ; 

 and accordingly several naturalists, English and Conti- 

 nental, have submitted to and vindicated this conclusion. 

 Without absolutely accrediting the opinion, I must not 

 deny that it suggests some speculations of interest as 

 to the future perfectibility of man. If the higher qua- 

 drumana (for the argument starts from these) be 

 capable, under any conditions, casual or designed, of 

 attaining to the human attributes, why may not man 

 a member of the series, though supreme in the 

 scale be considered capable of developing, in pro- 

 gress of time, more exalted forms of those faculties 

 which are now distinctive of his place in the world? 

 On the other side, again, comes the question, if man 

 be the latest in a long succession of special acts of 

 creation, why may not other beings with still higher 

 attributes be hereafter brought into existence in a 

 similar way ? 



It would be fruitless to bring questions of this 

 obscure nature into the argument before us. The 

 former opinion has doubtless attracted most attention, 

 in its connexion with the origin and development of 



