INTELLECTUAL PROGRESS 



IN EUROPE. 



No scientific student or observer of nature will have 

 failed to notice that all phenomena around him are ever 

 in a condition of progressive change, ever advancing 

 from the simple to the complex, and ever conforming to 

 specific laws. Just as the world in which we live has 

 gradually developed from a condition of nebulous vapour 

 to its present complex form, and just as man has evolved 

 from a simple molecule of protoplasm by wonderful and 

 manifold stages to his present commanding position, so 

 have civilisation, trade, politics, arts, literature, and 

 science all been slowly and gradually evolved from the 

 primitive mind of prehistoric man. A continual change 

 has ever been going on from the simple to the complex, 

 from the homogeneous to the heterogeneous, from the 

 imperfect to the more perfect. This continual progress 

 has been in operation during all time, and will proceed 

 in the future as "of old, leaving the present day far behind 

 in its march, as the present day has left behind it the 

 past. 



In considering the evolution of reform, or progress of 

 civilisation, we are necessarily limited to a comparatively 

 late period in man's history, for many thousands of years 

 had passed away, during which time man had gradually 

 established himself as a social animal, before any trust- 

 worthy records appeared to throw light in future ages 

 upon the primitive condition and habits of the human 

 family. From the patient and persevering studies of 

 scientific men, we are now in possession of a number of 

 facts which lead us to the conclusion that primitive man 

 first lived the life of a wild beast, inhabiting caves, and 

 devoting all his energies to battling with the ferocious 



