126 THE SPEECH OF MONKEYS. 



history of this genus from that to the present time 

 to ascertain whether they were the progenitors 

 of apes or not, but between this type and that of 

 apes the hiatus is as broad as that which inter- 

 venes between the ape and man. 



That somewhere in the lapse of time all genera 

 began, admits of no debate; and, by inversion, 

 it is plain that all generic outlines must focus at 

 the point from which they first diverged, and 

 such an operation does not indicate that man and 

 simian have ever been more closely allied than 

 they are at the present time ; but the evidence is 

 clear that man has been evolved from a lower 

 plane than he now occupies. The inference may 

 be safely applied to apes, as progress is the uni- 

 versal law of life. 



The question has been asked, " Who is the 

 progenitor of man? " The solution of this prob- 

 lem has engaged the most profound minds of 

 modern times. If it be said in reply that apes 

 were the progenitors of man, the question then 

 arises, " Who was the progenitor of the ape? " If 

 it be said that man and ape had a common pro- 

 genitor, a like question arises, and it becomes 

 necessary to connect all types allied to each other 

 as these two types are physically allied. If man 



