THE SPEECH OF MONKEYS. 123 



of man resembles more that of the ape than does 

 the same organ in the higher types of man ; and 

 by a method of deduction, such as we use to de- 

 termine the height of a tree or the width of a 

 stream by the length of a shadow, we find that 

 the fiducial lines which bound the planes in the 

 perspective of man's cerebral growth likewise 

 embrace those of the ape. While it is a fact that 

 the mind of man so far transcends that of the 

 ape, it is also a fact that in reaching this condi- 

 tion it has passed through such planes as those 

 now occupied by the ape. The physical changes 

 of man's brain do not appear to keep pace with 

 the growth of his mind. This may be a paradox, 

 but the evidence upon which it rests is ample to 

 sustain it. 



I do not pretend to know whether man was 

 evolved from ape or ape from man; whether 

 they are congenetic products of a common au- 

 thorship or the master-pieces of two rival au- 

 thors; but I cannot see in what respect man's 

 identity would be affected, whatever may be the 

 case. If it be shown that man descended from 

 the ape, it does not change the facts which have 

 existed from the beginning, nor does it change 

 the destiny to which he is assigned. If it can be 



