92 The Descent of Man. Fakt L 



borrowed expressive words and useful forms of construction from 

 various conquering, conquered, or immigrant races. 



From these few and imperfect remarks I conclude that the 

 extremely complex and regular construction of many barbarous 

 languages, is no proof that they owe their origin to a special 

 act of creation." Nor, as we have seen, does the faculty of 

 articulate speech in itself offer any insuperable objection to 

 the belief that man has been developed from some lower 

 form. 



Scwse nf Beauty. — This sense has been declared to be pecuh"ar 

 to man. I refer here only to the pleasure given by certain 

 colours, forms, and sounds, and which may fairly be called a 

 sense of the beautiful ; with cultivated men such sensations are, 

 however, intimately associated with complex ideas and trains of 

 thought. When we behold a male bird elaborately displaying 

 his graceful plumes or splendid colours before the female, 

 whilst other birds, not thus decorated, make no such display, 

 it is impossible to doubt that she admires the beauty of her 

 male partner. As women everywhere deck themselves with 

 these plumes, the beauty of such ornaments cannot be disputed. 

 As we shall see later, the nests of humming-birds, and the 

 playing passages of bower-birds are tastefully ornamented 

 with gaily-coloured objects; and this shews that they must 

 receive some kind of pleasure from the sight of such things. 

 With the great majority of animals, however, the taste for the 

 beautiful is confined, as far as we can judge, to the attractions 

 of the opposite sex. The sweet strains poured forth by many 

 male birds during the season of love, are certainly admired by 

 the females, of which fact evidence will hereafter be given. If 

 female birds had been incapable of appreciating the beautiful 

 colours, the ornaments, and voices of their male partners, all the 

 labour and anxiety exhibited by the latter in displaying their 

 charms before the females would have been thrown away ; and 

 this it is impossible to admit. Why certain bright colours 

 should excite pleasure cannot, I presume, be explained, any 

 more than why certain flavours and scents are agreeable ; but 

 habit has something to do with the result, for that which is at 

 first unpleasant to our senses, ultimately becomes pleasant, and 

 habits are inherited. With respect to sounds, Helmholtz has 

 explained to a certain extent on physiological principles, why 

 harmonies and certain cadences are agreeable. But besides 

 Ihis, sounds frequently recurring at irregular intervals ara 



'= See some good remarks 03 he J. Lubbock, 'Origin of Ci rilisatioD, 

 LJiplification of languages, by Sir 1870, p. 278. 



