Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-04-24

Va wv" PA"n>' e"e a"'uiais upon The globe, we
have seen an advance in both cases, aionv the
line leading to the higher forms Of orpanixs,ion.
Amongst Piaats We have first sea-weeds, after. |
wards land plants; and amongst these the sim |
pier tceilolar and cryptogamic) before the more !
complex. In the department Of zoology, we see
raaiasa, mollusca, articulata, existing
lot ages before there were any higher forms.-l
lhe hrst step forward gives fishes, the humbest
class OF the vertebrate; and. moreover, the ear
Hest hshes partake Of the character of the next
lowest sub-kingdom, the articulata, Afterwards
come land animals, Of which the first are rem
ti,es, universally allowed to be the type next in
advance from fishes, and 10 be coanected win
these by the links Of an insonsible prada,iop.-I
FROM reptiles we advance to birds, and thence to
mammalia, which are commenced by marsup;a.
liza, acknowledgedly low forms in their class
That there Is thus progress Of some kind, the
most superficial glance at the geological history
is sufficient to convince US. Indeed the doc,rine
OF the graduation Of animal forms has received
remarkable support from the discoveries Of this
science, as several types formerly wanting to
complexion OF the series have been found in a
fossil state.'
One OF the most interesting facts connect,
&C with organic development, is the discoye
ny of modern Psychologists tina, each animal
passes through series of changes resembling
the permanent forms of the various orders Of
animals inferior to it in the scale.
thus, for instance, an insect, standing a, the
head OF the articulated animals, is, in the larya
state. true annelid, worm, the annelda be-
ing the lowest In the same class. The embryo
OF crap resembles tho perfect animal of the in
ierior order myriapoda, and passes through all
the forms OF transition which characterize the
immediate tribes Of crustacea. The frog, for
some time after its birth, is fish with external
g,is' and other organs fitting it for an aquatic
lite, all of which are changed as il advances tn
and lnpIo
mifer only passes through still more stages, ac-
cording to its higher place in the scale. Nor is
man himself exempt from this law. His frs,
form is That which is permanent in the animal.
cule; his organization gradually passes through
conditions generally resembling fish. a reptile.
bird, and the lower mammaIis, before i, at,ains
us SPECIFIC maturity. At one of the las; stages
OF MS ietai career, he exhibits an intermediary
uohe, when is characteristic of the perfect ape:
.hIs IS suppressed, and he may then be said to
take ieave OF The smial type and become true
human creature. Even, as we shall see the va
rietes of his race are represented in tho nroG,os-
sive development of an individual of the HIGHEST
before we see the adult Caucasian the HIGHEST
point yet attained in the animal scale.
=. 10 come to particular points of the orpaniza
u1h' Inc brain OF man, which exceeds that of
all other animals in completely of oruaniza,ion
and fulness of development, is, at one early ma.
nod only "a simple fold of nervous matter. will
dincuify distlnguishable into three parts while
little tail-like prolongation towards the hinder
parts' and which had been the first to appear. is
,ne only representation of a spinal marrow II
NOW, in this state it perfectly resembles tho
brain OF an adult fish, thus ASSUMING in transit, |
me form that in the fish is permanent. In
SNORT Time, however, the structure is became moro
complex the parts more distinct the spinaI mar.
row row! better marked it is now the brain of rem.
. ire Inc change continues; by singular mo-
uon, certain parts corpora 9uadrasemina which
had hi'herto appeared on the upper surface, now |
pass towards the lower; the former is tbei, Nor.
manent situation In fishes and reptiles the latter
IN birds and mammaIia. This is another advance
III III me SCALE but more remains yet to be done.
The complication of the organ increases: cavi. |
ties termed ventricies are formed. which do MT |
exist In hshes, reptiles, or birds curouslv mr. |
canned parts, such as the corpora STRATA. are !
added; 1t is now the brain of the mammaIia. Its |
last and hnal change alone seems wanting, that
which shall render it the brain of MAN., And
this change in time takes place."
mus man appears to resume in himself
inc whole animal kingdom. He is the grand
type OF Types, though perhaps not the final
one. The startling question arises, is the
present race OF man the highest form which
!he principle OF Development will take
From defects i'll the geological group to which
he is referred, the anaogicaI inference raises
doubt!
~ ""S oe asheu,-is me existing human
race the only species designed TO occupy the
grade to which 1t is here referred Such gues-
lion evidently ought not 10 he answered rashly
and l shall therefore confne myself TO tho adj
mission that, judging by analogy, we might ex-
Pect TO see several varieties of the being, homo.
Ihere is no other family approaching to this in
Importance, which presents but one species-
The corvld@, our parallel in ayes, consist of Sc
veTai distinct genera and subgenera. 1t is start.
ing 10 llnd such an appearance of imperfection
IN the circle to which man belongs and the ideas
which arise in consequence are not less startling.
is our race but the Initial of the grand browning
type! Are there yet 10 be species superior TO
us In organization, purer in feeling, more power
,ul In device and act, and who shall take rule
over us There is in this nothing improbable on
other grounds The present race, rude and i'm
puisive as 1t is, is perhaps the best adapted TO the
present state of things in the world; but the ex-
teTnai world goes through slow and gradual
changes, which may leave it in time much Sc
rener field OF existence. There may then be &C.
caslon for a nobler type of humanity, which shall
complete the geological circle on This planet, and
reailZe some OF the dreams of the purest spirits
OF the present race"
For the speculaiions Of the author on the
mental constitution Of man, which occupy
the concluding chapters of the book, we have
but little respect, as they do not rest on any
scientific foundation. In conclusion
"fhe sum of all we have seen of the physical
constitution of man is that its Almighty Author
has destined it; like every thing else. to be deve
loped from Inherent qualities and 10 have a mode
OF action depending solely on its own organiza.
lion. Thus the whole is complete on one princi-
pie. The masses Of space are formed by law
law makes them in due time theatres Of exist
ence Tor plants and animals; sensation, disposi-
lion, intellect, are all in like manner developed
and sustained in action by law. 1t is most in
lerestiDg to observe into how small field the