New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-09-23

toned as thc Anchltherunl OF Europe, put MillOn
has some interesting peculiaTes lt presents three
toes-one large one and two lateral Ones-and tne
fourth toe which answers to the little nhger OF inc
human hand but there is only % u Ss as as
far European deposits have been enaDied 70 carry
us with any degree of certainty IN the history or
the horse. In this American tertiary, Oh t he
contrary the series is continued evenly down 10 the
bottom of the eocene. and these older rocks ylelu
these remains. The miOcene form, termed hego-
hppHs has, three toes in front ana lrg5 Spill ~
the rudment representing the little finger ana three
toes behind. The radius and una are entire and the
tibia and fbula distinct, and these are simply an
chitheroid short crowned teeth. -
But this is probably the most important discovery
of aIl-the OTOappus-which comes from the Oldest
part of the cocane formation, and is the Oldest one
known. Here we have the i9uI LoeS Oh 5iIe no'
plete a well-developed .ulna, well-dcVeloped
hbala, and the teeth of simple pattern. SO you
able thanks to these great TesearGhes TO SLOW
of the horse pe is exactly and precisely that which
could have been predicted from knowledge OF the
principles of evolution. And the knowledge we now
pgssess iustifes us completely in the anticipation
that when tho still lower eOcene deposits anu
those which belong to the cretaceous epoch nave
Welded up their remains OF equine animals, we
Shall find first IAN equine creature with four toes IN
front and rudment of the thumb. Then probably
a rudiment of the fifth toe will be gradually sup
piled, until we come 70 me nveoOed Ii ,s m
That is what | mean, ladies and gentlemen. by
evidence of evolution. An inductye
facts are shown to be in entire accordance
with it. If that is not scientific proof,
there are no induGtNe i CONCLUSIONS nd "n tSs
doctrine of evolution at the present time rests upon
exactly az secure foundation as the Copernican
theory of the motions fthe heavenly bodies ltsbasls
is precisely of the same Characteristic coincidence
of the observed facts with theoretical requirements
As mentioned Just now, the only way OF escape
If il be way Of escape, from the conclusions Whcn
| have lust indicated, ~ the supposltlOn that all
these different forms have been created separately
at separate epochs OF time, and repeat, as sald
before, that of such hypothesis as TINS there
neither is nor can be any scientific evidence, anu
assuredly so far as know, there il none which IS
supported or pretends to be supported by evidence
or authority of any other kind. can but THINK
that the time will come when such suggestions ar
these, such obvious attempts to escape the
force of demonstration, viii be put upon
the same footing as tnG fopPbS eiieTe
not completely extinct at present that fossils are
not real exstences, are no indications OF the exist
ence of the animals 10 which they seem TO belong
but that they are either sports OF nature OF sPecIaI
creations intended-as / heard suggested the
other day - to test our faith. In iact,
the whole A. evidence Is IN 3; ia EnJ sS Ui
that although perfectly well aware OF the seeming
difficulties which have been adduced from what APP
pears to the uniformed to DC sclentlno Ionli
ton. / meet constantly with the argument
that this doctrine Of evolution cannot De
correct, because il requires the lapse oil peflod
of time which duration OF life upon theSaItn is III
astronomer and the physicist. may venture 10 say
that am familiar with those conclusions, inasmnch
az some years ago when fresd9lt Oh tnS
them, and of showing IN what respects, as IL APP
peared TO me. they lacked complete aud thorough
But putting that point aslde AUTO,
pether suppose that as the astronomers or some OF
them. and some physical philosophers ten us, 10
Is impossible that life could nave endured upon
the earth tor as long period rs Is required by te
doctrine Of evouti0n-snpposng that To De proven,
what want to know is, What Is the inc tonhdatloh
for the statement that evolution does require
50 great a time The biologist knows nothing
whatever of the amount of time which may
be required for the process OF eNoluIlon' ~ ~
matter of fact that those forms when nave de-
scribed TO YOU occur in the order which nave
described 10 YOU IN the tertiary formation. But i
have not the slightest means of guessing whether
it took million of years or ten millions OF iiu-
drcd millions OF years, or thousand hlliOhs
of wears 10 give rise 10 that series Of changes As
matter of fact the biologist has no means oil ar
irving at any conclusion rs 10 tne amount 1i .l'S
organic change. lie takes his tarts as 10
time from the gcoogist. Ile geoloUst' lahlng
into consideration the rate at when .epos,ts hIo
formed and the rate NJ which denudaiion goes on
upon the surface of the earth. arrives at certain con-
illusions more or less justItiaDle as 70 the time
which is required for the deposit OF certain
the tertiary formation required 5OO,OOJ,OUo OF
wears for its deposit suppose he has good ground
the duration Of the evolution OF the
horse frOm the OrOhippus mp to Its pres
emf condition, and eli he Is nght,
undoubtedly evolution is very slow process ana
TcouIrrs great deal OF time. But suppose now that
the astrOnOmeT-foT instance, my trlehd nlT hlulah
Tbonpsnn-cOmes 20 me and tells me that my geo.
Ioucal friend Is quite wrong, and that h6 has
canitai evidence To show that life could not possibly
have existed upon the surface OF the eaith
5OO,O0O,OOO of years ago, because tue eIi nv
INV reply is THAT IL not my affair settle
that with the geOlogst, aud when you settle that be-
tween yourselves NIli agree with any concluslon.'
We take our time from the geOlugist, and u Is mon
strOus that having taken our time from the
physical philosophers clock the physical Phll0sO-
pher should turn round upon US ahd say
we are going too fast. What We desire to prove ~
il il a fact that evolution took place As TO the
amount of time il took for that we are III the hands
of the physicist and the astronomer, whose business
it Is To deal with those questions.
| think, ladies and gentlemen, that nave now ar
rived al the conclusion of the task which set be-
fore myself when undertook 70 deliver d 1ne5 o iec
las been, not to enable those OF you who
have not paid attention to these subjects
before TO leave, this room ~ conultloh
qualified to decide upon the validity or the IN
validity of the hypothesis OF evolution put 10 put
before you the principles by which all such hypothc-
SEES must be Judged; and furthermore, TO make
apparent TO you the nature of the evidence aud
the sort of cOgency which Is To Dc ex-
pected and may he obtained from IL.
TO this end | have not hesitated regarding You as
gepuine students aud persons DESTROYS of knowing
the truth have not hesltated to take You through
arguments and long chains Of arguments, that fear
NAV have sometimes tried yOur patience, or to have
inflicted upon you details which could not possibly
be escaped, but which may well nave been weafl-
some But | shall TeiOicc-l shall consider l
have done you the greatest service which 1t was in
nv power in such way TO dO-lf have thus con-
WINGED you that this great question which we are
discussing is not one to be discussed, dealt with by
rhetorical hOurshes by loose and superficial
talk but that il requires the keenest attention
of the trained intellect and the patience of
the most accurate observer lApplause.l did
not when commenced this series Of lectures, think
it necessary to preface them with prologue, such as
might be expected from stranger and y foreigner
for during my brief stay i'll your country have found
il very hard to bel that stranger could be pos
sessed Of SO manY frendB, and almost harder