104 HOMO V. DAEWIN. 



US away from the point when he talks about the inarticu- 

 late cries of man and animals. Let him tell us whether 

 any creature on this earth, except man, can rationally use, or 

 be taught rationally to use, articulate language. 



Darivin. " It is not the mere power of articulation," my 

 Lord, " that distinguishes man from other animals, for, as 

 every one knows, parrots can talk ; but it is his larg3 

 power of connecting definite sounds with definite ideas ; 

 and this obviously depends on the development of the 

 mental faculties." (Yol. i. p. 54.) 



Lord G. That is just the point, Mr. Darwin ; let us 

 therefore confine ourselves to it. Of course, parrots may 

 be taught to utter a few articulate sounds, and so may 

 starlings. But the question is, Do any of the lower 

 animals possess " man's large power of connecting definite 

 sounds with definite ideas ?" Can you mention one that 

 has this power, or in which it may certainly be developed ? 



Homo. You will not find it easy, my Lord, to hold Mr. 

 Darwin to the point. He knows very well what the point 

 is, for he states it clearly enough ; but he no sooner does 

 so than he starts away from it like a scared animal, and 

 never ventures to look near it again. Would you believe 

 it, my Lord ? He gives us nine pages on language, without 

 once attempting to discuss in them that peculiarity which, 

 he says, distinguishes man from other animals — " his large 

 power of connecting definite sounds with definite ideas." 



Lord C. What then are the points he takes up ? 



Homo. He tells us, my Lord, that the dog barks in four 

 or five different tones, to express so many different feelings 

 that may influence him ; that the sounds uttered by birds 

 offer, in several respects, the nearest analogy to language ; 

 and he gives details which he thinks shows that an in- 

 stinctive tendency to acquire an art is not a peculiarity 



