8 



circumstances, and even control them, yet as often as not man fails 

 to use tliat power and sinks in consequence, the prey of circum- 

 stances. 



There is hardly a phase in human society that has not its 

 counterpart in the social economy of the animal world, and it 

 would form by no means an uninteresting subject if one of our 

 members would take up these analogies and work them out. It is 

 always easier, and perhaps pleasanter, to trace out the faults of 

 others than to detect them in ourselves ; so let us turn our atten- 

 tion to the question of degradation among other forms of life. 



It is often taken for granted by those who dabble in Darwinism, 

 that development is always in an upward direction. A very slight 

 acquaintance with the ordinary facts of Nature would serve to dis- 

 sipate this delusion. It has even been said that it is highly 

 improbable that man, or any set of men, should lose any art of 

 civilization when once the value of it is known ; and that it is not 

 likely that any structure of advantage to an animal should ever 

 disappear. There is no improbability in either case ; it has fre- 

 quently happened. In the working out of the close relations which 

 connect the animal creation with its immediate surroundings, there 

 are (as a great authority would say) three courses open, either of 

 which may be adopted. There may be an upward development 

 (such as has taken place in European nations generally) ; there 

 may be a standing still, a state of balance (illustrated by the 

 Chinese) ; or there may be degeneration (as with the Egyptians 

 and Turks). With man it almost wholly depends upon himself 

 as to which of these sball be his fate; but we cannot say the same 

 of the lower animals, which are, so much more than ourselves, the 

 creatures of circumstances. We are to confine our attention this 

 evening to the last condition only, and it will perhaps be as well, 

 before proceeding further, to ask the question — 'What is degener- 

 ation ? When are we justified in regarding an animal as having 

 fallen from its high estate ? What are the outward and visible 

 signs? Is an animal which passes its life rooted down in one 

 place, {e.g. a sponge) necessarily a degraded form ? Are parasites 

 all or any of them, degenerated animals ? How are we to know ? 



We can only tell by ascertaining, as far as possible, what each 

 particular species was intended to be, and whether it has fulfilled 

 its destiny. This is treading, I know, on delicate ground, per- 

 haps questioning design, implying possible failure ; but here it is 

 for discussion. Bow can we tell what any particular form was 

 intended to be ? We may do so, I think by finding out, so far as 

 we can, from its early stages and the general character of its 

 confreres, what it might have been. We regard a man as 

 degraded when we know from his early circumstances that he could 



