Chap. XXI. GENERAL SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION. 385 
CHAPTER XXI. 
General Summary and Conclusion. 
Main conclusion that man is descended, from some lower form — 
Manner of development — Genealogy of man — Intellectual and 
moral faculties — Sexual selection — Concluding remarks. 
A brief summary will here be sufficient to recall to the 
leader’s mind the more salient points in this work. 
Many of the views which have been advanced are highly 
speculative, and some no doubt will prove erroneous ; 
hut I have in every case given the reasons which have 
led me to oue view rather than to another. It seemed 
worth while to try how far the principle of evolution 
Would throw light on some of the more complex pro- 
blems in the natural history of man. False facts are 
highly injurious to the progress of science, for they often 
long endure; but false views, if supported by some 
evidence, do little barm, as every one takes a salutary 
pleasure in proving tbeir falseness; aud when this is 
hone, one path towards error is closed and the road to 
truth is often at the same time opened. 
The main conclusion arrived at in this work, and now 
held by many naturalists wdio are well competent to 
h’rm a sound judgment, is that man is descended from 
80 111 e less highly organised form. The grounds upon 
"hich this conclusion rests will never be shaken, for the 
°lose similarity between man and the lower animals in 
ornbryonic development, as well as in innumerable 
Points of structure and constitution, both of high and 
°f the most trifling importance, — the rudiments which 
Vol. ii. 2 c 
