6i JDABWINISM TESTED BY 



ing those groups of species which succumb 

 to them in the struggle for existence."* 



Not a word of Darwin's need be changed 

 here if we wish to apply this reasoning to 

 the languages. Darwin describes here 

 with striking accuracy the process of the 

 struggle for existence in the field of human 

 speech. In the present period of the life 

 of man the descendants of the Indo- 

 Germanic family are the conquerors in 

 the struggle for existence; they are en- 

 gaged in continual extension, and have 

 already supplanted or dethroned numerous 

 other idioms. The multitude of the Indo- 

 Germanic species and sub-species is illus- 

 trated by our genealogical tree. 



* Unfortunately I have not the edition at hand from which 

 the German translation has been made. It must have differed 

 a good deal from the fourth edition used by myself, and this 

 may account for, if not excuse, my not having used, perhaps, 

 Mr. Darwin's exact words. — T. 



