THE EVIDENCE IN BRIEF 19 



life itself must have been evolved from non-living or 

 inorganic matter. 



Geology, again, in virtue of its subsection, palaeon- 

 tology, 1 yields evidence — the "record of the rocks" 

 — in favour of the theory of organic evolution. As 

 we have already seen, the geological record, imperfect 

 though it is, teaches us that there was an " age of 

 reptiles," an age of great ferns, an age when there 

 was no life, and so forth. Furthermore, geologists 

 have long abandoned the catastrophic theory, which, 

 indeed, was hardly more than a survival of the 

 ancient Deluge myths ; and compel us to believe 

 that, as the rocks evolved, so did the living things 

 whose imprint they now bear. 



If we now pass to the organic sciences, Ave find 

 evidence still more striking : evidence upon which, 

 even in this little handbook, we must dwell at much 

 greater length. 



First let us consider the evidence of anthropology - 

 — the science of man. Neglecting the suggestive facts 

 afforded by the comparative study of the extant 

 races of man, let us inquire into the known facts 

 as to the past of the human physique. We have 

 recently become acquainted with some few skulls, 

 undoubtedly human, which are of very great 

 antiquity, dating back to ages beside which the 

 historic period is but a moment. These skulls 

 approximate, far more closely than even the lowest 

 human skull of- to-day, to the simian type — to the 



l Cuvier, the founder of palaeontology, was the last great opponent 

 of that theory of organic evolution to which palaeontology has 

 afforded such conclusive support. Cuvier " built greater than he 

 knew." 



- The term is here used as synonymous with physical anthropology. 



