OUR RACE AND ITS ORIGIN. 
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skull of the ape, which presents a more evident and marked 
distinction between it and man. The central ridge of the 
ape is totally wanting in that of man, even of the lowest 
type ; this ridge is very prominent in the skull of the gorilla, 
and marks its affinity to the dog rather than to man, which 
is further strengthened by its large canine teeth ; this struck 
the naturalist Pliny, who therefore named the ape, Cyno- 
cephalus. 
But whatever may be the bodily resemblance between 
man and other creatures, — and it must be allowed there is 
some, — for being the last and most perfect of all formed, his 
animal frame may be said to incorporate parts of every other 
to give him that distinction. The true difference between 
man and the beast is to be sought for in the mind rather than 
in the body. 
The animal is said to be endowed with instinct, by which 
it is led to select its food and avoid danger ; but it may be 
safely granted to possess even more than this, a certain 
amount of mind, an inferior degree of reason, which leads it 
to reflect on what more immediately concerns its safety, 
though it cannot direct thought beyond itself. But how 
different is it with man ; he can raise his mind to far higher 
objects, and embrace the whole universe in his reflections, 
thus displaying an intimate connection even with Deity it- 
self. 
In the struggle for life, general experience proves that the 
most perfect forms survive, whilst the malformed perish ; 
there may be, it is true, exceptions, where the imperfection 
does not injure the natural strength of the individual, but 
it is not probable even in this case that it will perpetuate 
its peculiarity ; the strongest forms being the most perfect, 
live to produce similar ones to their own. Darwin, on 
“ Species,” accounts for this transmutation of form by 
what he calls “ natural selection,” and " struggle for life.” 
However many and great may be the varieties obtained of 
the pigeon, the changes which the dog has undergone are 
far more remarkable ; yet it is generally allowed by the 
zoologist that all have originally sprung from one. Whether 
