THE EACES OF MAN. 
235 
Ca. 
AP. VII. 
languages, some philologists have inferred that when 
^an first became widely diffused he was not a speaking 
animal; but it may he suspected that languages, far 
less perfect than any now spoken, aided by gestures, 
'night have been used, and yet have left no traces 
°n subsequent and more highly-developed tongues. 
W ithout the use of some language, however imperfect, 
If appears doubtful whether man s intellect could have 
r 'sen to the standard implied by his dominant position 
at an early period. 
Whether primeval man, when he possessed very few 
arts of the rudest kind, and when his power of language 
w as extremely imperfect, would have deserved to be 
called man, must depend on the definition which we 
employ. In a series of forms graduating insensibly 
l' r °m some ape-like creature to man as he now exists, 
h would be impossible to fix on any definite point when 
term “ man ” ought to be used. But this is a matter 
very little importance. So again it is almost a 
Matter of indifference whether the so-called races of 
'nan are thus designated, or are ranked as species 
0t sub-species ; but the latter term appears the most 
appropriate. Finally, we may conclude that when 
Ike principles of evolution are generally accepted, as 
tlle y surely will be before long, the dispute between the 
Cconogenists and the polygeuists will die a silent and 
Unobserved death. 
Bne other question ought not to be passed over 
"dthout notice, namely, whether, as is sometimes 
assumed, each sub-species or race of man has sprung 
l0 m a single pair of progenitors. With our domestic 
an jmals a new race can readily be formed from a single 
pair possessing some new character, or even from a 
8ln gle individual thus characterised, by carefully match- 
