EVOLUTION IN POSSE 221 



power of speech and of abstract thought. Who 

 would have imagined that such apparently trivial 

 variations would have had such momentous conse- 

 quences ? And who can say what variations may 

 yet arise to overthrow the dynasty of man ? Per- 

 chance some new branch of the ape family may 

 oust man from his kingdom. What possibilities 

 of favourable variation multitudes of animals may 

 yet contain we cannot guess. 



When, however, we confine our prophecies to 

 man we are more likely to prophesy rightly. We 

 know what germinal variations usually occur, and 

 we know something of their survival-value. And 

 from a study of man's evolution in the past, and 

 of his present environments and variations, we can 

 see how he is likely to evolve in the next epochs. 



Within geological periods, man has gradually 

 arisen to an erect attitude, and he now stands 

 straight, under the stars. Here, in this respect — 

 in this respect so important to the human race — 

 evolution has apparently finished. The hand also 

 seems a perfect instrument, and one can imagine 

 no marked variation of any organ or part which 

 would have any marked survival-value. Man's 

 physical adaptation to his physical environment 

 seems in many respects almost perfected. Better 

 than any other animal he is able to endure extremes 

 of heat and cold. More easily also than any other 



