70 ORGANIC EVOLUTION 



plete series of muscles for separating the toes from 

 one another, and for drawing them towards one 

 another. The sole of the human foot — with its 

 bewildering four layers of muscles — is indeed the 

 bugbear of the student of anatomy. Its complexity 

 — its quite useless complexity — if it is to be 

 interpreted in accordance with the theory that the 

 human foot was specially created for its present 

 purpose, must be regarded as gravely reflecting 

 upon the intelligence of Creative Design. Inter- 

 preted in the light of evolutionary theory, the sole 

 of the foot affords pleasure to the dissector. The 

 student of human anatomy will admit that that is a 

 considerable statement. 



But of far greater interest is the new importance 

 which the assumption of the erect attitude has 

 given to the human hand. The hand of the ape is 

 a wonderful and nervous instrument — " far too good " 

 for even intermittent use as a balancing organ. But 

 when the ancestor of man assumed the erect atti- 

 tude, at last the hand had a chance worthy of its 

 potentialities. Many distinguished anatomists — chief 

 of whom is Professor Cunningham of Edinburgh — 

 consider that the numberless possibilities offered to 

 man's hand, and especially to his thumb, by the 

 assumption of the erect attitude, must be regarded 

 as one of the most important factors — perhaps the 

 most important factor — in the education of the 

 human brain. However this may be, the educa- 

 tionists are beginning to learn the importance 

 of the hand in mental training ; and nowadays we 

 hear on all sides of the importance of manual work 

 in education This opinion certainly seems to be 



