GENERAL SUMMARY. 601 



CHAPTER XXI. 

 GENERAL SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION. 



Main conclusion that man is descended from some lower form— Manner 

 of development— Genealogry of man— Intellectual and moral facul- 

 ties—Sexual selection— Concluding remarks. 



A brief summary will be sufficient to recall to the reader's mind 

 the more salient points in this work. Many of the views which 

 have been advanced are highly speculative, and some no doubt 

 will prove erroneous; but I have In every case given the reasons 

 which have led me to one view rather than to another. It 

 seemed worth while to try how far the principle of evolution 

 would throw light on some of the more complex problems in the 

 natural history of man. False facts are highly injurious to the 

 progress of science, for they often endure long; but false views, 

 if supported by some evidence, do little harm, for every one takes 

 a salutary pleasure in proving their falseness; and when this is 

 done, one path towards error is closed and the road to truth is 

 often at the same time opened. 



The main conclusion here arrived at, and now held by many 

 naturalists who are well competent to form a sound judgment, is 

 that man is descended from some less highly organized form. The 

 grounds upon which this conclusion rests will never be shaken, 

 for the close similarity between man and the lower animals in 

 embryonic development, as well as in innumerable points of struc- 

 ture and constitution, both of high and of the most trifling im- 

 portance, — the rudiments which he retains, and the abnormal 

 reversions to which he is occasionally liable, — are facts which can- 

 not be disputed. They have long been known, but until recently 

 they told us nothing with respect to the origin of man. Now 

 when viewed by the light of our knowledge of the whole organic 

 world, their meaning is unmistakable. The great principle of 

 evolution stands up clear and firm, when these groups of facts 

 are considered in connection with others, such as the mutual af- 

 finities of the members of the same group, their geographical dis- 

 tribution in past and present times, and their geological succes- 

 sion. It is incredible that all these facts should speak falsely. 



