204 Scientific Sophisms. 



vergence of character, it does not seem 

 incredible, that from some such low and in- 

 termediate form as the lower algae, both 

 animals and plants may have been developed ; 

 and if we admit this, we must admit that 

 all organic beings which have ever lived on 

 this earth may have descended from some 

 one primordial form." 1 



In other words, and to speak more pre- 

 cisely, " Born of Electricity and Albumen, the 

 simple monad is the first living atom ; the 

 microscopic animalcules, the snail, the worm, 

 the reptile, the fish, the bird, and the quad- 

 ruped, all spring from its invisible loins. 

 The human similitude at last appears in the 

 character of the monkey ; the monkey rises 

 into the baboon ; the baboon is exalted to the 

 ourang outang ; and the chimpanzee, with a 

 more human toe and shorter arms, gives birth 

 to Man." 3 . 



What Sir David Brewster has here done 

 for the Fauna on this principle of Develop- 

 ment, Hugh Miller has in like manner done 

 for the Flora, when he tells us that according 

 to this theory "dulse and hen-ware became, 

 through a very wonderful metamorphosis, 



1 " Origin of Species :" p. 519. 



1 " North British Review," 1845, p. 483. 



