16 THE MEANING OF EVOLUTION 
tion, because he had four toes, two of which, with all 
their bones and their hoofs, are quite useless to him. 
We now call these toes “vestigial,” and know the 
pig’s ancestors used them, walking on four toes and 
not on two, as at present. Buffon believed there were 
degenerations as well as developments, and considered 
the ape a degenerate man. He conceived these 
changes to be brought about by what he called the 
favors and disfavors of nature. He varied much in 
his opinions in various parts of his career and occa- 
: sionally is smitten either with conscience or with fear 
of authority. Then he goes back and says it is all a 
mistake and each animal is the product of a special 
act on the part of the Creator. 
A little later, in England, Erasmus Darwin, the 
grandfather of Charles Darwin, who was_ subse- 
quently to establish the evolution theory, wrote a long 
and elaborate poem called the “Temple of Nature.” 
In this we find a remarkable prevision of many of the 
principles which were afterward to be warmly advo- 
cated and disputed during the growth of the idea of 
evolution. 
“Hence without parents by spontaneous growth, 
Rise the first specks of animated life. 
* * * * * 2K * 
Thus as successive generations bloom 
New powers acquire and larger limbs assume.” 
