370 LAMARCK, HIS LIFE AND WORK 



species. There are, then, only very few different 

 signs which they employ among their fellows, so that 

 some movements of the body or of certain of its 

 parts, certain hisses and cries raised by the simple 

 inflexions of the voice, suffice them. 



" On the contrary, the individuals of the dominant 

 race already mentioned, having had need of multi- 

 plying the signs for the rapid communication of their 

 ideas, now become more and more numerous, and, 

 no longer contented either with pantomimic signs or 

 possible inflexions of their voice to represent this 

 multitude of signs now become necessary, would 

 succeed by different efforts in forming articulated 

 sounds : at first they would use only a small number, 

 conjointly with the inflexions of their voice; as the 

 result they would multiply, vary, and perfect them, 

 according to their increasing necessities, and accord- 

 ing as they would be more accustomed to produce 

 them. Indeed, the habitual exercise of their throat, 

 their tongue, and their lips to make articulate 

 sounds, will have eminently developed in them this 

 faculty. 



" Hence for this particular race the origin of the 

 wonderful power of speech ; and as the distance be- 

 tween the regions where the individuals composing 

 it would be spread would favor the corruption of 

 the signs fitted to express each idea, from this arose 

 the origin of languages, which must be everywhere 

 diversified. 



" Then in this respect necessities alone would have 

 accomplished everything; they would give origin 

 to efforts; and the organs fitted for the articulation 

 of sounds would be developed by their habitual use. 



" Such would be the reflections which might be 

 made if man, considered here as the preeminent race 

 in question, were distinguished from the animals 

 only by his physical characters, and if his origin were 

 not different from theirs." 



