Psychology will be based on a new foundation, that
of the _necessary_ acquirement of each mental power and capacity by
gradation. Light will be thrown on the origin of man and his history."
(p. 577)
The "distant future" was near at hand. In his introduction to his work
on the "Descent of Man," he says, he had determined not to publish on
that subject, "as I thought that I should thus only add to the
prejudices against my views. It seemed to me sufficient to indicate, in
the first edition of my 'Origin of Species,' that by this work 'light
would be thrown on the origin of man and his history;' and this implies
that man must be included with other organic beings in any general
conclusion respecting his manner of appearance on this earth. Now the
case wears a wholly different aspect. When a naturalist like Carl Vogt
(we shall see in what follows what kind of a witness he is) ventures to
say in his address as President of the National Institution of Geneva
(1869), 'Personne, en Europe au moins, n'ose plus soutenir la creation
independante et de toutes pieces, des especes,'--it is manifest that at
least a large number of naturalists must admit that species are the
modified descendants of other species; and this especially holds good of
the younger and rising naturalists.... Of the older and honored chiefs
in natural science, many unfortunately are still opposed to evolution in
every form.
Pages:
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45