"A Puerile Hypothesis" 55 



more to less generalized types, within the limits of the 

 period represented by the fossiliferous rocks ? 



"It negatives those doctrines, for it either shows us no 

 evidence of such modification, or demonstrates such mo- 

 dification as has occurred to have been very slight ; and 

 as to the nature of that modification, it yields no evidence 

 whatsoever that the earlier members of any long-continued 

 group were more generalized in structure than the later 

 ones. . . . 



" Contrariwise, any admissible hypothesis of progres- 

 sive modification must be compatible with persistence 

 without progression through indefinite periods." J 



In other words, the " hypothesis " requires 

 some proof of " progressive modification," but it 

 receives none. What it does receive is disproof 

 only. To its demand for " progression," " the 

 fossiliferous rocks " reply by exhibiting only 

 " persistence without progression ; " and that, 

 " through indefinite periods." To its assump- 

 tion of " almost endless stages of promotion 

 from lower to higher forms ^ofLIife 7 " 2 Palaeon- 

 tology responds by demonstrating that of these 

 " stages " there is " no evidence," and of this 

 "promotion " there is " no evidence whatsoever." 



Nor does Professor Huxley stop here. Deal- 

 ing with the supposition that such a hypothesis 

 as that of progressive modification should "even- 



1 " On Persistent Types of Life : " in " Lay Sermons," 

 p. 225. 



8 Prof. Tyndall's " Science and Man." 



