234 
Analyses of Books . [April, 
advent of man. But seeing that among those animals which 
flourished in the pre-human geological epochs many were carni- 
vorous, the statement that man is the creator of such beasts is 
reduced to an absurdity. We might ask why the carnivorous 
animal alone is pronounced “ evil ” ? It kills to eat, whilst vege- 
tarian beasts — e.g., the bull, the Cape buffalo, the black African 
rhinoceros, the keitloa, the peccary, &c. — will often attack man 
and other animals out of pure “ superfluity of naughtiness.” It 
has also been fully proved that whilst carnivorous animals in 
captivity become really attached to man, and show an affectionate 
disposition, deer, sheep, goats, &c., under the same circum- 
stances, turn malicious as they reach maturity. This is a point 
of the more importance since the authors view flesh-eaters, 
human or brute, as the worst of offenders. In connection with 
this subject we must ask whether the authors, who allow of no 
hard and fast line between the organic and the inorganic world, 
would yet draw an abrupt boundary between animals and plants ? 
If they do they are at variance with their own principles, as well 
as with the teachings of modern research. If they do not, then 
the destruction and mutilation of harmless and helpless plants 
must stand on the same “ plane ” as the slaughter of animals. 
We must return to the transmigrationlof souls. If, as it is alleged, 
every animal is a rudimentary (or possibly a degenerated) man, and 
if every man has passed not racially, but individually, through the 
forms of the lower animals, it is an arithmetical necessity that the 
number of individuals in every species, or at least in every group, 
should be equal. If all earth-worms, all mosquitoes, all herrings 
are to become men, the number of individuals of each must 
not be greater than that of men. Now if we take the number 
of human beings in each generation at a thousand millions, each 
living on an average for thirty years, we must certainly reckon 
the mosquitoes in existence at any one time at many billions, 
with several generations each year. On the other hand, the 
total number of individuals among the Mammalia, if we except 
certain Rodents, is less than that of man. The same will be 
found the case with most groups of birds. This plain consider- 
ation, if fairly worked out, will we believe prove fatal to the 
doCtrine of animals being the germs of future men. The authors, 
however, have judiciously abstained from sketching the ascending 
pedigree of humanity. 
We regret having to proceed further. The work before us is 
not a mere collection of speculations which, if lacking evidence 
and incapable of being put to the test of sober experimentation, 
are certainly curious and possibly suggestive ; it contemplates a 
social revolution wilder than was ever dreamt of by Nihilist or 
Communard. The chief points of this new Charter are “ woman’s 
rights ” in the most exaggerated form, involving not merely 
equality, but the subjugation of the male sex, and, secondly, the 
emancipation of animals. This latter point requires certainly 
