1884. Editors’ Table. 1233 
of degeneracy of Dohrn and Balfour, or the hypothesis of the 
origin of the vertebrates of Semper? Which of them ever pre- 
sented to its readers the solution of the problem of the origin of 
the existing Vertebrata and the descent of.man by the American 
palentologists ? 
Here our popular editor smiles incredulously. What do 
people know or want to know about Gastraas and cceloms and 
vertebrates? Well, we ask, what do people want to know about 
anything? The majority, not much, unless it is presented to them 
by somebody. But mankind only needs a little knowledge of 
these subjects in order to develop a strong interest inthem, They 
are likely to do so on all grounds if they have an average amount 
of mental vitality. Why not? The sciences refer to everything 
‘they see, feel and handle, their own being in fact, in the most es- 
pecial manner, The first thought of the primitive man is to €x- 
plain the phenomena of nature, and it always will be part of the 
thought of people who are in any way in contact with nature. 
And these pursuits and thoughts are not only not harmless but 
useful. As much cannot be said of the constant absorption of 
histories of crime. : 
Gastreeas and cceloms and zygosphens and corpora striata, are 
not more difficult to understand, either as to the thing or the 
tame of it, than puts and calls and straddles; and they have this 
advantage, that they are always honest. Men brought up on 4 
a diet of the first-named articles, are, to say the least, more apt’ to 
_ behonest than those brought up on the last-named. Political 
_ Tews is necessary to every citizen, yet it is mixed with scandal ; 
_ Which although a necessary concomita 
ean article of mental R Sci 
7 in i oO VIO 
Blithe proper study of mankind is man,” the study of mate 
ÈS Proper, for nature has made man. The origin of mass om7 
and of his mind are to be derived from the biological ait 
and this once learned, the way to create his future will certai pA 
follow. If the nature of human society be in question, —— 
anthropology is gradually explaining ne aati doing 
: et beyond applied science ; 
_ Something that makes a material replay naturally art a 
— attention of the beginner. It is in pure science, op griion 
the greatest beauties can be found, and n° `. g 
the interest which it has for those who give oe 
attention, 
nt of human affairs, is not 
ence contains no scandal, 
late its laws. 
