A CONCLUSIVE INSTANCE 57 



evolution of any species. The thing may well have 

 happened ; it is difficult to understand, indeed, 

 what else could have happened — but, has it 

 happened ? " 



The reader who adopts this position is in 

 company no less distinguished than that of Thomas 

 Henry Huxley. This redoubtable champion of the 

 " New Reformation " was never tired of insisting 

 upon the immorality of belief without sufficient 

 evidence, as against the contention of all churches, 

 that it is immoral to refuse belief without evidence ; 

 and Huxley was not the man to confound precept 

 by practice. Thus for many years he declined to 

 admit that the fact of evolution was proved. It 

 was probable, and more than probable, but it was 

 not proved. In this chapter I propose briefly to 

 recount an instance of evolution which even the 

 sceptical Huxley — who did not live to see it in 

 the perfect form it presents to-day — was prepared 

 to quote as " demonstrative evidence " of organic 

 evolution. This great service, the affording of 

 unquestionable proof of this momentous theory 

 mankind owes to its trusty servant the horse. 1 Let 

 us now look at this familiar beast from a new point 

 of view. 



The modern horse is a very specialised animal. 

 There is no mistaking him, nor any mistaking the 

 fossil remains of his immediate ancestors. Notably 

 is he distinguished by his limbs and his teeth. Let 



i The horse always stands to me for three things. First, its 

 obsolescent use as a beast of burden. Second, its proof of the 

 truth of organic evolution. Third, its priceless services — irre- 

 placeable by any machine — in giving its blood to save our children's 

 lives when they are in the clutches of diphtheria. 



