THE EVOLUTION OF MAN 



which man assumed in the course of his develop- 

 ment. These animal forms become ever more im- 

 perfect, ever more simple, until they reach the 

 uni-cellular protozoon. There is no doubt that 

 we have watched the general course of a grand 

 upward evolution, the highest and most central 

 branch of which is topped by man himself. But 

 now we should naturally like to know what was 

 the compelling motive of this development. 

 What controlled and determined the laws of 

 growth and development? Why did not the first 

 cell remain a primitive cell ? Why did it not con- 

 tinue to generate nothing but primitive cells in 

 all the millions of years? Why did some of its 

 offspring rise higher and higher, up to the tri- 

 umphant summit of mankind? These questions 

 are certainly natural, and they are the object of a 

 large part of that scientific research to which we 

 apply the general term of Darwinism. 



However, this is another problem. We may 

 submit the course of evidence which I have out- 

 lined from man to amoeba and may still believe 

 that we do not know anything definite about the 

 compelling motive of this development. We may 

 calmly say that we know too little of the origin 

 and fundamental laws of life and cannot com- 

 mand at present an understanding of the laws 



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