18 INTRODUCTION 



In consequence of the views now adopted by most natu- 

 ralists, and which will ultimately, as in every other case, be 

 follow«d by others who are not scientific, I have been led 

 to put together my notes, so as to see how far the general 

 conclusions arrived at in my former works were applicable 

 to man. This seemed all the more desirable, as I had never 

 deliberately applied these views to a species taken singly. 

 When we confine our attention to any one form, we are de- 

 prived of the weighty arguments derived from the nature 

 of the affinities which connect together whole groups of 

 organisms — their geographical distribution in past and pres- 

 ent times, and their geological succession. The homological 

 structure, embryological development, and rudimentary or- 

 gans of a species remain to be considered, whether it be man 

 or any other animal to which our attention may be directed; 

 but these great classes of facts afiord, as it appears to me, 

 ample and conclusive evidence in favor of the principle of 

 gradual evolution. The strong support derived from the 

 other arguments should, however, always be kept before 

 the mind. 



The sole object of this work is to consider, first, whether 

 man, like every other species, is descended from some pre- 

 existing form; secondly, the manner of his development; 

 and thirdly, the value of the differences between the so- 

 called races of man. As I shall confine myself to these 

 points, it will not be necessary to describe in detail the 

 differences between the several races — an enormous, subject 

 which has been fully discussed in many valuable works. 

 The high antiquity of man has recently been demonstrated 

 by the labors of a host of eminent men, beginning with 

 M. Boucher de Perthes; and this is the indispensable basis 

 for understanding his origin. I shall, therefore, take this 

 conclusion for granted, and may refer my readers to the 

 admirable treatises of Sir Charles Lyell, Sir John Lubbock, 

 and others. Nor shall I have occasion to do more than to 

 allude to the amount of difference between man and the 

 anthropomorphous apes*, for Prof. Huxley, in the opinion 



