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appear to consider that that would eventually result in a concomitant " 'physical degradation." He calls the theory of degradation "Darwinism read backwards," to which he objects; and yet I venture to say that, if there is any truth in Darwinism at all, it will be found, whether as regards plants or animals, when all is left to "nature," and mere "natural selection "to tend, though even then within certain limits, rather in this downward direction, The question now, however, is, whether or not this has been the case in respect of mankind.]

We must remember, however, that the fact of the antiquity of civilization, as proved by all history, tradition, and archæological remains, is only one of many converging proofs, all bearing in favour of the religious theory of man's past and present condition. There are also other proofs to be derived from the common knowledge among civilized races, which speak of a common origin, and of some previous intercommunion among them all. One of the most important of these proofs is derived from the astronomy of the ancients, more especially from the names and figures of the constellations still delineated upon our celestial globes. Similar figures are found upon the Dendera planisphere and zodiac of Esneh, and upon sarcophagi from Egypt, and landmark-stones from Assyria, which may be seen in the British Museum. The apparently arbitrary character of these figures, there being nothing in nature to suggest them, and yet their being found. nearly identical among all the ancient nations of the old world, and sufficiently similar, even in America, to indicate the same common origin,-all combine to furnish a most important cumulation of proof as to the ancient intercommunication between peoples and races, besides those derived from comparative philology, comparative mythology, or the common traditional stories found among mankind. From all these sources may be urged other arguments in favour of the religious theory. [That derived from comparative philology was most ably treated by Dr. Thornton at the last meeting of this Society; and it will now also be seen, that the very origin of speech is bound up with the origin of man himself.] I venture to allege that no theory either about man or language which we can devise-even with all our after-knowledge of the facts now existing in respect of both-will so well account for all the facts of the case as our old religious and (I think I may still say) "time-honoured" theory of man's origin and the confusion of language at Babel.

Having now appealed, in proof of this, to all we can gather

from history and among the civilized races, there is one further appeal to be made, though one of less importance. It is to all that we also can discover from the traditions of the various savage races. The result of that appeal I must be content to state in little more than a sentence from the paper already quoted; namely, "That among all savage races (except perhaps the very lowest of the low, from whom we can gather nothing), there are traces, more or less, of an anterior civilization, or previous superiority of condition, that testifies to their being now in a literally degraded state. Even the poetical legends of the Viti Islanders, and the superstitious traditions of the Negroes, testify to something in their ancestors superior to themselves." In illustration of this, I quote from an independent source the following:-"The islands of the Pacific, under a general appearance of primeval simplicity, present here and there many remarkable evidences of a former civilization, as well as of a degree of connection between the several populations, which seems inconsistent with their present isolation."* I ought here perhaps also to observe incidentally, that among almost all the savage races when first discovered, the traditions connected with their corrupt forms of religion are found to have something about serpents, and trees, and woman.

So that here again the verdict of facts is still in favour of the priority of civilization, and a proof that the savage races have degenerated from a higher grade. On this point, too, I may refer to the Bosjesmen, as a known instance of the growth of a distinctive savage race within a few generations. Without going further into details as regards the savage races, I venture to claim to have pretty well established my thesis, and proved that the religious theory may now also be called with propriety the Historical Theory.

Since the foregoing was written, additional testimony of a valuable kind has come under my notice, and to this I beg leave very briefly to allude. At the last meeting of the Ethnological Society, held only on Tuesday, 10th July, a paper was read by the distinguished African traveller Mr. S. W. Baker, in which he gave an interesting account of the various tribes of the White Nile Basin. One of these tribes (the Kytch tribe), he says, is "hardly a remove above the chimpanzee, except (a most important exception) in the power of speech. They live in a marshy district and are wretched skeletons." Most of these tribes, it seems, know how to work in metals. But in one in the

Principles of Mythonomy, by Mr. Luke Burke, p. 51.

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Shir district, having no iron-ore, hard iron-wood supplies the people with a substitute for iron, like the hard stone used by the New Zealander, and flints by other savages elsewhere. Mr. Baker remarks that "the absence of articles and weapons of metal in no way proves their excess of savagery; but where there are no metals to work, there are no blacksmiths." Mr. Baker also describes "the tribes on the borders of Abyssinia, who are still in a state of superior civilization." They are sprung from a land inhabited by the only independent Christian community in the whole of Africa, among whom reading and writing are common, and where the features and forms of the inhabitants are closely allied to the European, forming a strong contrast to the tribes who inhabit the borders of the White Nile." At the same meeting, Dr. Beke, also a well-known African traveller, is reported as having made some remarks on the retrogression of civilization among the savage tribes. In his opinion, they are becoming more and more savage, and he asserts that nearly all travellers in Africa are of that opinion. I am glad that Mr. Crawfurd, the President, was present when this was stated in the Ethnological Society, as he is well known to entertain opinions opposed to those I have here ventured to advance.

[Still bearing intimately on our subject, and especially on an important point to which I am anxious to allude before I conclude, another paper was read the same evening, by Lieut.Colonel Fytche, on attempts that had been made to civilize some of the Andaman Islanders, which had entirely failed, even the wearing of clothes producing consumption. Dr. Mouet, however, spoke of other similar attempts, and of one exceptional case, that of a young girl, in which the efforts made had proved successful.

It was no part of my case to prove that individual savages, or tribes, cannot be reclaimed and raised. That this may even be possible of races, I will not dispute, though it may be a question whether the process of degeneration may not sometimes proceed so far as to render the elevation of the race afterwards impossible. My argument has been, that these low races do not, as a fact, ever rise of themselves. The late Dr. Waitz has said further, that they neither do emerge from their barbarous state, nor do they exhibit any desire to leave it; and they even, in spite of example and teaching, rather tend to remain as they are. It is not a fact, then, that they rise, nor is it "natural" that they should, however easy and natural it may be that they should fall still lower and lower.

But, whence, then, it may be asked, if all this be true, has the idea of human advancement and progress come to enter men's minds at all? To that I reply, it has no doubt also been derived from human experience, and is best explained by the religious theory. Ours is no dark and fatalistic creed that always and only points downwards. We have, thank God, a knowledge and experience of advancement and human progress in the world's history, as well as of man's degeneration. The real fact is, indeed, that we have lived so much in the light of this state of advancement, in which we were born, that some of us have forgotten its cause, and that it is an absolute reversal of a previously existing state of things. Not a reversal of any natural law-let us leave that to those who believe that intellect and speech could come of themselves, and the noblest manhood be developed out of apes or speechless savages;not a reversal of any natural law, but the introduction of a higher law, that claims to regenerate man, and to elevate his nature. Just as by our theory we believe that some thousands of years ago man was created very good by God, yet afterwards fell, and so the human race degenerated;-by slow degrees no doubt, for he always had a better spirit that strove within him, and an intellect that could not lose its lustre in a day;-so we also believe that some eighteen hundred years ago the progress of this human corruption was arrested, by a revival of new spiritual life and fresh power of becoming "upright." We appeal equally to the facts of history, to prove both man's fall and his restoration. Since the second Adam came, in fact, the history of human advancement and of the highest civilizations, from the time the Roman empire fell, is little else than the history of the progress of Christianity. The students of "the science of man" will never understand their whole subject if they ignore this crowning fact of all, which completes the religious theory of man's past and present condition.

My argument required that I should chiefly dwell upon the downward course of humanity, but I gladly recognize that that is only half the truth with which we are concerned. "The question of questions for mankind (well says Professor Huxley)

the problem which underlies all others, and is more deeply interesting than any other, is the ascertainment of the place which man occupies in nature, and of his relation to the universe of things. Whence our race has come; what are the limits of our power over nature, and of nature's power over us; to what goal we are tending; are the problems which present themselves anew, and with undiminished interest to every man born in the world."

These words of the learned Professor are worthy of the

theme. They recognize a power beyond mere nature, and show that the past and present of man cannot be well considered without reference also to his future. The institution of this Society has not been devised with the view of stifling or suppressing such problems, but to secure their more complete consideration. This paper, be assured, is no "idle attempt to turn the order of social progress bottom upwards," but rather an honest endeavour-however inadequate-to overthrow ill-grounded theories, which,-by ignoring the true source of all our power over nature," and of that righteousness, or moral uprightness, which alone can raise a people, and secure for them a social progress that will last,-not only cannot tell mankind "to what goal they are tending," but have even failed to account satisfactorily for either the original existence or present condition of the civilized and savage races of the great human family.]

The CHAIRMAN.-I am sure it will be perfectly unnecessary for me to call upon you to pass a vote of thanks by acclamation to Mr. Reddie for the very valuable paper he has read. (Hear.) I can only say that it is adding one more to the many obligations which the Victoria Institute owes him. No one who has not been associated with him in the formation of this Society can understand how earnestly he has worked for its advancement; and the admirable and exhaustive paper which he has produced this evening shows how, in the midst of those labours, he has found time to devote himself to the great cause which this Society advocates. I have to announce that I have received a letter from our noble President (the Earl of Shaftesbury), in which he expresses his deep regret that he is prevented by indisposition from profiting by Mr. Reddie's paper. (Hear, hear.) I have only to add that I most cordially invite discussion upon this paper. I am sure Mr. Reddie will be disappointed if his paper does not provoke that free discussion which he considers the most wholesome feature of this Society's proceedings. (Hear, hear.)

Dr. GLADSTONE. I rise to express the great pleasure with which I have listened to Mr. Reddie's paper this evening, and especially to the latter part of it; and I am quite sure that there are many here who have also feit, and who will express that same pleasure. I know Mr. Reddie likes discussion; he and I can never be together for two minutes without coming across one another; and he had not been reading his paper one minute this evening before he advanced an opinion which I could not adopt. The subject is a most noble one. It has been treated very extensively; it ought to be treated with all philosophical calmness; it ought to be considered with all the largeness of mind that can be brought to bear upon it. We ought, if possible, to remove every prejudice, and everything which would prevent philosophical consideration. I am quite sure Mr. Reddie has too much nobility of mind and too much courage to call people bad names when they don't deserve it; or

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