GREAT QUESTIONS IN LITTLE 



man began to doubt and to ask for proof, then his 

 emancipation from error began. 



IV. EAHLY MAN 



A factor that has, no doubt, played an important 

 part in man's evolution is the much greater swing 

 which the law of variation has in his case than in 

 that of any other animal. The extent of variation 

 in the mental capacity of men has no parallel in 

 any other species in the animal kingdom. The 

 individual differences between animals of the same 

 species, in disposition, in intelligence, is consider- 

 able, but in the case of man it is enormous. With 

 this sweep of variation man's development would 

 be rapid. The most gifted led the race forward. 

 Our civilization is the work of a few minds; all 

 progress is the work of a few minds. The rank 

 and jBle of mankind follow their natural captains 

 and leaders. The law of variation has evidently 

 worked more and more in man the farther he de- 

 parted from the lower orders, so that he has pro- 

 gressed with accelerated rapidity. Every advance 

 gained made a greater advance possible. The pos- 

 sibilities, say with dogs, are very limited; the possi- 

 bilities with man are almost infinite. 



No doubt the first rude man, or the immediate 



animal ancestor of man, made himself a nest or a 



shelter from the storms long before he became a 



tool-user. The orang makes a platform of branches 



295 



