GENETIC EELATIONS. 



Order and Succession of Life in Time — Hypothesis of Develop- 

 mental or Derivative Descent : its Proofs and Probabilities ; 

 as applicable to the Human Race ; not necessarily Degrad- 

 ing ; manner in which it should he received — Om' Seventh 

 Proposition. 



High as we may carry the antiquity of man, far 

 back as we may trace his lowly beginnings, there 

 still lies beyond this the question of his origin — the 

 inquiry how, or by what process, he came into being ? 

 If it be diflScult to arrive at some intelligible notion 

 of his antiquity, much more must it be to penetrate 

 to his origin. The glunmer which science is yet 

 enabled to throw on this subject may be dim and un- 

 certain, stm, if it can lead to some indication, it is 

 something gained — something for the reason to follow 

 — ^till, under the broader light of increasing know 

 ledge, it arrive at a satisfactory conclusion. It is in 

 vain to discourage the inquiry or point to the hope- 

 lessness of its results. Man, in every stage of his exist- 

 ence — savage or civilised — ^has turned to the question, 

 and, according to the amount of his knowledge. 



