48 PRIMEVAL MAN. 



we have a difficulty, probably an insuperable 

 difficulty, in conceiving. If, therefore, the 

 theory of Development can be shown to 

 involve difficulties of conception which are 

 quite as great as those which it professes to 

 remove, then it ceases to have any standing- 

 ground at all. An hypothesis which escapes 

 from particular difficulties by encountering 

 others which are smaller, may be tolerated at 

 least provisionally. But an hypothesis which, 

 to avoid an alternative supposed to be incon- 

 ceivable, adopts another alternative encom- 

 passed by many difficulties quite as great, 

 is not entitled even to provisional acceptance. 

 Now, the difficulties attending the theory of 

 Development, or of creation by birth, attain 

 their maximum in the case of Man. Some 



