New-York tribune., 1872-05-10


So powerful s this argument from classification that II
sees 10 me sufficient by itself to decide tho In favor
of the derivatvo theory.
THE ARGUMENT FROM RMBRYoLo6Y.
An equally powerful argument is furnished by the
embryonic development Of organisms. Tho germs OF
all animals at the outset exactly like each other out
IN the process OF development each germ acquires rst
the difcrentla characteristics Of the sub-kngdom 10
which belongs then successfully tho characteristics OF
its class ORDER family genus, species and race On the
evolution theory these phenomena are expbcabe as uue
TO tho Indignation Of adaptive processes, by whioh
notifications slowly acquired through genoratohs VI
ancestral organisms are moro and more rapidy io-
peated In the embryos Observation shows that to po
nomena Of embryoogy, and the facts OF the geoiosca
succession OF organisms In complete harmony anu
again. unless we are TO suppose ta sno h the exnrcss
nature have been malictousy arrauGen Will .ne
hs harmony as proof Of the truth Of the evolution
theory. Kindred evidence Is iuIshn ny ,,, a.o It
acore organs like those possessed by adults OF allied
SPECIES but which, having functions TO DISCHARGE are
after while absorbed or dwipde into mere rndlmehts;
The mammalian embryo ut first circuates Its blooa
through vascular system like the glils OF lsnes ahu @
afterward through vascular membrane called tne
allan alantos like the membrane which replaces gills IN
the development Of fishes Neither OF tnese seruT If
aerating its blood. and there Is no possible 1. ex,
PLANTATION of their appearance IN untou An, tn in
hertance from the amphiious ancestors OF the iha-
Inalian class The pompous statement which we some ne
times hear that have been created lor tno
sake of symmetry and in order TO complete the scheme
of nature" explanation at ALL II we were 10 resi-
content with this assumption, we must needs CONFESS
that he symmetry OF nature has been but lmperecty
wrought out for the rudimentary organs, which, on
this hypothesis ought always to De present. are o'eh
The doom Of theory of special creations is lneTi
taby involved in the destruction OF the ongexploded
doctrine preformation. This doctrine that from the
germ to the adult man there was no increase nm IN com GO
Within the Of the next preceding
t1ou nOQ
Il is to my mind very much less grotesque thah tne
special creation re theory i'm @ built up by
Divine Architect how are we TO explain the iacu tnao
which distinguishes 1t, there must be an evolution OF
forms which distinguish the structures Of ont or
Of this very tight corner that metaphysical
naturasts have sometimes attempted TO crawl Dy
Rravely asserting that Nature s obliged 10 WORK ent
lively When theoogians molested by uncomfort-
able questions concerning the existence OF m
anthropomorphio Deity, they wont to ascrbe them
10 the Devil. Metaphysical thinkers practice more
hen they erect into person distinct from pheno-
mena and ascribe TO her the shortcomings whch they
dare not lay to the account Of personal Deity.
THE ARGUMENT FROM MoRPHoLoGY AND GEOGRAPHICAL
ARRANGEMENT.
The facts Of morpholoy significant of those OF
embryoogy and classification. Why, unless through
common inheritance, should all the vertebrate be con-
structed the same typef structuraly considered,
man, elephant mouse, ostrich, humming bird tortoise
snake frog crocodile haOut herring and shark are but
different notifications OF one common form. We may
either saw with the Mussulman, 1t pleased Allah,
whose name be exalted may confess at that
such community Of structure is proof conclusive of
munty OF origin. The facts Of geographical distribution
and geographical succession likewise in complete
harmony with the development theory On the bypoth
of special creations good reason can be gvenw why
shouid resemble both in general structure and in special
notifications, the animals which now live IN the same
area. Thus the fossil mammals Of Australia are chiefly
marsupias allied in structure TO the narsuplas Wmcn
now inhabt that continent; the extinct mammals OF
South America closely resemble living soths arnadllos
and anteaers 1t has, indeed been urged 10y uph0lders
of the specalc cation hypothesis that these striking re-
sembances be explained by supposinR each species
have been created In strict adaptation TO the cOnd
tions OF life surrounding it, That is to say God has con-
pas in Australia these two continents best
fitted for the comfortable maintenance respectively OF
edentata and OF marsupias But inns assumption lnaG
each species Is best adapted to Its own habitat is reued
by such facts as the now rapidly IA
European organisms lately carried there IL Is still
e when i66a6t Australia and those which inhabt
southern exremities of Africa and South America
and yet would be- Impossible to
point out three faunas and oras more strknGy dis
tween the Conditions Of exsenoe in the seas east and
west of the Isthmus OF Panama, but no two marine
inhabit the two seas This is because the Isthmus,
though narrow is impossible for marine organisms.
not prevented by impossible barriers spreading
wide tracts Of country or OF sea, we find distinct
among the most diverse conditions The inference is OBJ
vous that the population OF different geological and bo
tanica is due to migration and not to special
OF like meaning is the fact that batrachians and
terrestrial mammals never found indigenous
upon oceanic islands, which seem to be peculiarly
we'll fitted for them. That terrestrial mammals
cannot cross the is obvious but bats and BIRDS which
can y are found many oceanic islands. Prof MOritz
Wagner from many careful personal observations in
North Africa, Western Asia, Hungary, and America
educes the general conclusion that the limits within
which allied species found are determined by impas
sable natural barriers For example, opposite sides
of the Andes the conditions OF existence differ but tte
willie on north and south sides of the Caucasus the
difference In climate 10 extreme. Yet the Andes are
much the difficult to cross, and accordingly the
fauna which they separate much more unlike than
the fauna separated by the Caucasus These facts OF
geographical Distribution when taken In connection
phaticaly in favor Of the derivation theory and are salts
factorily explained by 1t; while the special creation
hypothesis Is incompetent to explain single one OF
them. They are, moreover, In perfect harmony with
the prominent facts of morpholOgy OF embryology and
OF alton; that the evidence furnished by the
five classes facts taken together becomes truly
whelmng Not only Is the doctrine Of special creations
dscredted by its barbarous origin, and by its implicit
denial the persistence Of force but IL fails to explain
single OF the phenomena Of the class fcaton, en-
bryology morpholOgy, and distribution OF organic ex-
stences while the doctrine OF derivation not only
scienc Or gin and gtimate In It's use OF hypothesis,
but IL explains each and all of these phenomena.
link we may therefore, without further ado consign
the specialcreaton hypothesis to that limbo where
hover OF the slaughtered theories that
born Of mans untutored intelligence.
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