AFFINITIES AND GBNEALOGT. 161 



tors of the placental mammals. We may thus ascend to the Le- 

 murldffi; and the interval Is not very wide from these to the 

 Simiadae. The Simiadse then branched off into two great stems, 

 the New World and Old World monkeys; and from the latter, 

 at a remote period, Man, the wonder and glory of the Universe, 

 proceeded. 



Thus we have given to man a pedigree of prodigious length, but 

 not, it may be said, of noble quality. The world, it has often 

 been remarked, appears as if it had long been preparing for the 

 advent of man: and this, in one sense is strictly true, for he 

 owes his birth to a long line of progenitors. If any single link 

 in this chain had never existed, man would not have been exactly 

 what he now is. Unless we wilfully close our eyes, we may, with 

 our present knowledge, approximately recognize our parentage; 

 nor need we feel ashamed of it. The most humble organism is 

 something much higher than the inorganic dust under our feet; 

 and no one with an unbiased mind can study any living creature, 

 however humble, without being struck with enthusiasm at its 

 marvelous structure and properties. 



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