6 MAMMALIAN DESCENT. [Lect. I. 



the earth, will reap the richest reward, and have the 

 highest honours. 



For, the palaeontologist, in his luckiest finds, brings 

 you up, at most, the framework, only, of a creature, and 

 that, mostly, in its adult condition. Such shreds and 

 patches of old organisms as he finds, although unspeak- 

 ably precious, are difficult materials out of which to con- 

 struct a history. But your embryologist has learned 

 where to find little compendiums of the past history of 

 the folks that did live here a long time ago. These, 

 however, are written, so to speak, in shorthand, and are 

 as difficult of interpretation as the old cuneiform 

 characters ; that difficulty at once whets his ingenuity, 

 and also makes him resolve to possess his soul in 

 patience. 



You will see that I am weaving this web of words to 

 catch your attention whilst I bring in my theory — not 

 mine, but Darwin's, — and yet mine, notwithstanding. 



This theory seems to contradict the Sacred Eecords ; 

 it does contradict the letter of certain passages — taken 

 alone. Man was created perfect — that is, " calling the 

 end from the beginning ;" and in the fulness of the times 

 a Perfect Man did appear. We have His history. 

 Having that, I, for one, care not a jot about any further 

 history of the weak man who blots the historic page at 

 its very beginning. 



Now let us leave Man, and go down among the 

 beasts ; they are delightful creatures, — " what God 



