THE SCAFFOLDING LEFT IN THE BODY 99 



born babe, a continuous witness to the ancient 

 animal strain. 



We are met, unfortunately, at the outset by one 

 of those curious obstacles to inquiry which have so 

 often barred the way of truth and turned discovery 

 into ridicule. It happens that the class of animals 

 in which Science, in the very nature of the case, is 

 compelled to look for the closest affinities to human 

 beings is that of the Apes. This simple circum- 

 stance has told almost fatally against the wide 

 acceptance of the theory of Descent. There is just 

 as much truth in the sarcasm that man is a " re- 

 formed monkey" as to prejudge the question to the 

 unscientific mind. But the statement is no nearer 

 the truth itself than if one were to say that a 

 gun is an adult form of the pistol. The connec- 

 tion, if any, between Man and Ape is simply that 

 the most Man-like thing in creation is the Ape, and 

 that, in his Ascent, Man probably passed through 

 a stage when he more nearly resembled the Ape 

 than any other known animal. Apart from that 

 accident. Evolution owes no more to the Ape than 

 to any other creature. Man and Ape are alike in 

 being two of the latest terms of an infinite series, 

 each member of which has had a share in making 

 up the genealogical tree. To single out the Ape, 

 therefore, and use the hypothetical relationship for 



