THE ORIGIN OF VERTEBRATED ANIMALS 199 



himself or held by him in common with other animals ; 

 whether there are attributes that cannot be explained 

 by these laws, is a question with which we have no 

 concern here. Science has nothing to do with such 

 matters, and has nothing to say either for or against 

 them. 



Such is the doctrine of Evolution as applied to 

 man, and I would ask you, Is there anything 

 humiliating in this ? Surely it cannot be more 

 degrading to have risen than to have fallen. Surely 

 the true interest of life lies in the future rather than 

 the past ; in the possibility of further achievements ; 

 in there being work ahead for us to do. It is in the 

 consciousness that we now possess the key that will 

 compel the past to yield up its secrets, and that 

 opens to us unbounded possibilities in the future ; 

 it is in the conviction that there is a reason in and 

 for everything, and that it is within our powers 

 to determine that reason, that we find the great 

 charm and attractiveness of the Darwinian Theory. 



