300 EVOLUTION OF TO-DAY. 



has, then, certainly developed from a very low condi- 

 tion. He cannot be traced back to the animals, but 

 he can be traced back to the lowest condition in 

 which he could exist and yet be a man. Earlier 

 than this evidence cannot exist. 



It must be noticed, however, that even this conclu- 

 sion is in part denied. The position is held by the 

 Duke of Argyle and a few others, that these low 

 conditions of the human race were not primitive 

 conditions but the result of degradation. Argyle 

 would believe that primitive man was neither the 

 lowest nor the highest race, but was possessed of 

 a civilization midway between the two. He was 

 created with human faculties well developed ; and 

 from this primitive condition he has diverged in two 

 directions. On the one hand advancement has led 

 to the modern civilized race ; while, on the other 

 hand, degradation has led to the savage tribes. Ar- 

 gyle would not believe that stone implements neces- 

 sarily indicated the primitive condition of man, but 

 rather a degraded condition. The reasons given for 

 this conclusion do not appear very cogent to scien- 

 tists in general. The chief argument seems to be 

 that many of our savage races to-day show evidence 

 of being degraded from a former state of advance- 

 ment. This fact can hardly be denied, and is indeed 

 admitted by all. But it is far from being sufficient 

 to offset the great weight of the counter evidence 

 obtained from the study of archeology. Among 

 scientists Argyle stands almost alone, although Mi- 

 vart holds a view somewhat similar. Other scien- 

 tists, however, believe that man can be traced back- 



