SIXTH day's sittijsg. ' 143 



the changes, or series of changes, through which Mr. Darwin 

 supposes the " ape-like progenitors of man " to have entered 

 on this fatherly relation. The account he gives of the 

 matter certainly does not lack romance, for, while " some 

 ancient member in the great series of the Primates" 

 becomes strangely plastic, Nature also becomes plastic, and 

 in such a way as to assist in the transformation. There is 

 a change in this creature's " manner of procuring sub- 

 sistence, or a change in the conditions of its native country." 

 Perhaps the climate changes ; it blows cold instead of hot ; 

 or it grows fewer trees ; or such fruits as are produced are 

 not tempting enough to the creature's taste. However this 

 may be, it becomes convenient for the creature to "live 

 somewhat less on trees and more on the ground,'' and 

 hence to " become either more strictly quadrupedal or 

 bipedal." One might suppose that the former direction, 

 as being the easier of the two, would be chosen, in 

 which case it would simply revert to a former type, 

 its ancestors having been quadrupeds ; but somehow it 

 takes the bipedal direction, and having ceased to climb 

 trees, begins to climb up towards man. Everything 

 conspires to help its progress. As the conditions of its 

 native country have changes, its bodily structure changesflL 

 to correspond with them. Before this creature, or rather, 

 I should say, its progeny, can attain to intelligent and 

 civilized manhood, they must pass through the savage state. 

 They must therefore become able to "manufacture weapons," 

 to " hurl stones and spears with a true aim," " to defend 

 themselves with stones or clubs, to attack their prey, or 

 otherwise obtain food." It will therefore be " advantageous" 

 to them " to become more and more erect or bipedal." 

 "Both arms and the whole upper part of the body should be 

 free." They "must, for this end, stand firmly on their 



