Proofs of Evolution. 303 



man's immediate ancestor. Tliey Avant an ape who can build 

 a tire, whistle, and sing the Doxology ; though they might 

 possibly throw off the tire and the whistle. 



Before opening the cabinet of •• Discovered links,'" it may 

 loe well clearly to understand just what we should, and just 

 what we should not, expect to find. First, as to those 

 living links which we do not find, it may be affirmed that 

 their very absence is proof of Evolution. Its vital princi- 

 ple forbids their presence. Katural Selection sends the 

 weakest to the wall, and so the transitional forms do not 

 live to be looked at. Xo one life, nor a thousand, is long 

 enough to observe the changing forms. As Mr. Darwin 

 remarks : " They perish by the very process of the forma- 

 tion of the new species." A hundred thousand years or 

 more have doubtless passed since man was first a man. His 

 ancestral link was prior to himself, and could not have 

 survived after man was fully evolved. It could not remain 

 a link, but must push on to a fully developed man. If it 

 Avere not so, Evolution would be but a childish dream. 



But the graded forms from brute to man, have all been 

 on the earth. "Why," you ask, ''do Ave not find their 

 remains now ? " For this reason : Only noAV and then one 

 Avas droAvned ; for it must be remembered that ocean travel 

 •was limited in those days, and yachting parties Avere some- 

 Avhat exceptional. It is doubtful Avhether the " Missing 

 Link " Avas either a sailor or a SAvimmer. Xoav, it is obvious 

 that only those links meeting a Avatery fate would stand 

 any chance of being preserved in the stratified rocks for 

 sulDsequent discovery. Besides, a link before becoming 

 immersed in hardening nuid and sand, Avould do Avell if he 

 escaped being eaten by link-eating monsters of the deep. 

 And as for being preserved on land, Avhat could one poor 

 little heap of bones do as against the mutation of half a 

 million years ? Therefore, in the very nature of time and 

 things, we coiild not certainly expect to find a man-like link, 

 living or dead. The soft parts of aninuds and jilants, from 

 their A'ery nature, must disappear. The rocks themselves 

 crumble and Avaste aAvay, to be borne to the sea again Avith 

 all their A\'ealth of fossil forms. The earth is broad and 

 deep, the stones hard, and the searchers are fcAv ; and more- 

 OA-er, the Avork is hardly yet begun. A museum of " Missing 

 Links " Avill be the attraction of the future. Nevertheless, 

 Avith the door of Nature doubly barred, our sturdy scientists 



