NATIONS. 14i 



that was originally monogamous? The primitive idea of justice, 

 as shown by the law of battle and other customs of which vestiges 

 still remain, was likewise most rude. Many existing superstitions 

 are the remnants of former false religious beliefs. The highest 

 form of reli^on — the grand idea of God hating sin and loving 

 righteousness — was unknown during primeval times. 



Turning to the other kind of evidence; Sir J. Lubbock has 

 shown that some savages have recently improved a little in 

 some of their simpler arts. Prom the extremely curious ac- 

 count which he gives of the weapons, tools, and arts, in use 

 amongst savages in various parts of the world, it cannot be 

 doubted that these have nearly all been independent discoveries, 

 excepting perhaps the art of making fire.'" The Australian 

 boomerang is a good instance of one such independent discovery. 

 The Tahitians when first visited had advanced in many respects 

 beyond the inhabitants of most of the other Polynesian islands. 

 There are no just grounds for the belief that the high culture of 

 the native Peruvians and Mexicans was derived from abroad;" 

 many native plants were there cultivated, and a few native ani- 

 mals domesticated. We should bear in mind that, judging from 

 the small influence of most missionaries, a wandering crew from 

 some semi-civilized land, if washed to the shores of America, 

 would not have produced any marked effect on the natives, unless 

 they had already become somewhat advanced. Looking to a very 

 remote period in the history of the world, we find, to use Sir J. 

 Lubbock's well-known terms, a paleolithic and neolithic period; 

 and no one will pretend that the art of grinding rough flint tools 

 was a borrowed one. In all parts of Europe, as far east as Greece, 

 in Palestine, India, Japan, New Zealand, and Africa, including 

 Egypt, flint tools have been discovered in abundance; and of their 

 use the existing Inhabitants retain no tradition. There is also 

 indirect evidence of their former use by the Chinese and ancient 

 Jews. Hence there can hardly be a doubt that the Inhabitants of 

 these countries, which include nearly the whole civilized world, 

 were once in a barbarous condition. To believe that man was 

 aboriginally civilized and then suffered utter degradation in so 

 many regions, is to take a pitiably low view of human nature. It 

 is apparently a truer and more cheerful view that progress has 

 been much more general than retrogression; that man has risen, 

 though by slow and interrupted steps, from a lowly condition to 

 the highest standard as yet attained by him in knowledge, morals 

 and religion. 



3» Sir J. Lubbock, 'Prehistoric Times,' 2nd edit. 1869, chap. xv. and 

 xvi. et passim. See, also, the excellent 9th chapter in Tyler's 'Early 

 History of Mankind," 2nd edit., 1870. 



2' Dr. F. Muller has made some good remarks to this effect in the 

 'Eeise der Novara: Anthropolog-. Theil,' Abtheil. iii. 1868, s. 127. 



