New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-26
SCIENCE AT PORTLAND.

GEOLOGICAL PAPERS. -,
iywon TIE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rSiBO''
PORTLAND, Aug. 23.-Prompt at the bour 'ue
room was hued 70 rtpletOn with an audience 80 -
hear discussion OF tine leading question w So'o 49,
this century For the evolution theory ei"ui"se -
whole field OF physical inquiry and pu's ~, -, a.oo
all psycilical investigation. To those "'o 90.
:, a an vndervinc faith rooted in me hin'e past
penetrafing upward into every department u n'u.''
reaearcn waving its branches toward tno SAY "
boundiess future. To the province "i no seoN'
-, -, -, ,,s ,nestons irrelevant, whethef he IL
rivtng 70 wiring the secret from earth, AR or ocean
- -. ,,o, ar from mind And thus, 70 this discussion
-, -, attracted not only unusual numbers OF men
s ouep whom the special pursuits of science rarely
,,rs bur also AL the members OF the Association I'D
The 0ity.
,w.on OF Montreal who regarded as one oil the most
eminent and able opponents OF the Dnrwinian theory,
ooud not remain Portland after this week. ehuereu
an, Tire opportunity 10 expound his VIEWS ANU mum
sp,ssa al the courtesy OF the Offer Dr. Dawson rose
and thanking his opponent in gTaceiui SoruS' Pi'-
ceedcd 20 speak =,
"a tbe demands upon our credence made by the adVo-
c.tas OF the evolution theory. Among Other requre
pens OF the theory said IL must provide an eAph
ton OF the virgin Of life. To accomplish TINS 'ho GA
,,s-monts Of Bastan brought forward referring
>, these he stated that less authority than Prof.
Hnxcy though an eyoutlonist, had denied then CON
lsivs eha.,ster and disputed the alleged results We
are expected % admit in every department. TO Whieh
..enaac inquiry relates that In all things there mas
be successive progress from the lower to the hgher
wbv should we MAKE this admission what PROOF Is
,r N T The recent discoveries OF embryology SHOW
a., ne likeness OF early forms OF the embryo 70 other
,.ls of the same families furnished 20 the advocates
- svolution no real argument IN its favor. They
proved nothing Admit you will the close resemblance
Of similar bones aud general physical structure in the
ana and man. IL IA not the slightest evidence OF ldehtty
While &c may be true that there is bone for bone IN
snkey and man. s it remains that the bones OF one
are dGerent from those Of the other The making OF
,ouley and OF man Is exphcabe quite as readily, to
.v the least on the theory plan that OF evo-
lutop The history Of the growth OF animal has been
e,tdsas the evidence Of development from alower 10
higher form But what are the facts in the casei The
egg grows into the animal and that organism produces
An egg again. This Is revolution, not ev0lution
We arr told 20 accept as postulate that mind too is
r~sut OF development; that the moral as well as the
Material being simply consequence OF the eVolVng
process do not grudge the naturalists VINO nave
aped such theories the intellectual exercise wmch Is
Involved but regret that much Of their labor Is wasted
and the results will burnt when the fires OF truth are
apped 70 the chat they are accommodating This is not
question OF physics that they arguing t is one OF
zpetaphy,cs and il would be well for our children as
well a. growing scientists II they were taught more OF
mental and philosophy basis for such inquiry
a But thank the students who are thus engaged Tor
some good results Of their exertons. They have
thereby succeeded reducing the superduous numbers
az species and have obtained far better views in respect
a classification Good results Will also low from the
rrofound embryOlogical researches Of the day But
am sorry for the investigators for their regulations are
az stake, and they have chosen a mistaken path.
We are however. approaching in our studies cor
rect theory. After its appearance In geological
history every species has plastic tendency to spread
q liz utmost limits OF FORM Then ensues period OF
decadenoe until it may become extinct This has been
set forth in OF my printed memoirs on the plants
OF the carponiferous series believe that similar
rrocess true the human race. He referred 10 the
sku OF Mentone and It's finely developed character
grandy developed cerebrally and bodily The burial
OF his dead testified TO ms ous belief The people OF
the Cromagno skull age were OF a similarly elevated
character The only point Of difference from men TO-
diy was la the attening Of OF the leg BONES ms
49, s,crsaP- habits OF the tribe running
through ia pursuit OF game. II begins TO be
admitted that the man Western Europe came in with
she modern mammaa az the close Of the glacial period
This was q period OF decadenoe and when the phoeene
1aula dying out and new forms were taking their
places. The most ancient form of man is beyond the
average standard OF modern humanity. II the man OF
Cromaeno or Ment0ne had been sent 10 Harvard, he
would been graduated with the full honors OF an
average American student.
DR. Dawson's manner is impressive; his delivery
though exceedingly rapid clear and strong His ring
ing sentences closed amid bOuntiful applause.
Professor Morse and stated that the forty minutes
allowed for this discussion would scarcely leave time to
touch IT, salient points. II question whose bear
fngs might consume week in their consideration But
few things might be said. Dr. Dawson and Professor
swallow had both misquoted Huxley, who had
said. IN respect 70 the ancient skull referred TO-
that Il might have held The brains OF a thoughtless
savage or il might have contained those Of a
philosopher Dr Dawson had referred TO only
the differences in those remains from those OF the
nan OF to-day respect 10 the hatteneo hbia There
we're however several other characters Of similar na-
ture which Dr. Dawson had not referred 70, some OF
which had been discovered by Prof Wyman and had
not YET published. In the existing races OF man
the 1amen ndgnun THE large opening at the base OF
the skull through which the brain communicates WITH
the spinal cord) exhibited very little change Of position
IN It's relation 10 the rest Of the skull, while with the
higher primates tapes this opening is very near the
posterior portion Of the skull This was Illustrated oy
rapid drawing on the blackboard. In eleven
ancient skulls from the shell heaps OF Ten
uessee. the forrnen nagnum in every case was
nearly an inch further back than in those Of present eI
istng races The powerful muscles on the sides OF the
head Tint move the jaws leave distinct line at their
upper points OF attachment These lines are called
temporal ridges In all present existing races space
occurs on the top Of the skull these lines Of
from three and half four inches. In the apes these
muscles meet in the medan line which rises into bony
crest so characterstic,of the gorilla. There was a
remarkable skull discovered by Prof Wyman in the low
beds Of the ancient shell heaps OF Florida. This
has the temporal ridges approaching each other within
hall inch at the top Of the skull. II the high develop
ment Of the skull referred 70 by Mr. Dawson was such
be states IL only carries further back Similarly
the light thrown upon the history Of man by the won
derfa discoveries in archaeology, where we meet wiz
an ancient civilization, with complicated Ian
guage and manners, we can surely believe IN savage
hores preGxsting from which this ancient civilization
has been evolved
As 20 the early traces Of must fully appreciate
the rare possibility OF their occurrence Wherever you