Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1876-09-28

europeans III tut W6SleTu lGTtldIy ue-
posts Professor Marsh discovered many
splendid specimens, and his collection at
New Haven is now perhaps the finest in
the world. Here the missing evidence
was found, and tended to show that
America is the true seat of the equine
type. Through the recent horse, the
hlpparlon and the anchitherium, the mod
ihcatlons OF anatomy were traced in the
teeth and general ostselOgy. The MIC
hippus had three foes The median
large, the two lateral ones small, and a
rudimentary fourth, corresponding to
the little finger of the human hand the
hind foot had three toes, and the rest
was as in the anchitherium Ia the
American tertiary, down to the bottom
OF the eocene, remains were found with
three toes, long little finger, three toes
behind, radius, ulna, fbula, tibia and
Short crowned teeth. The orohippus
rom the oldest eoee1e, had four toes on
The tore limb, three on the hind foot,
and complete fibuia, tibia, radius and
una. 1t is thus shown that, SO far as is
Known, the history of the horse is such
ss could have been predicted from the
doctrine of evolution. And it may con-
hdently be expected that when the Gre
taeeous rocks shall have been explored,
an eQNuS will be found which had four
Toes in front and the rudiments OF five
toes behind, and that then the fve-toed
animal will be found from which the
whole series took its birth. When an
inductiVe hypothesis is demonstrated by
facts in entire accordance with it, and
such as might have been reached by de-
dnctive processes it is firmly establishes;
if the doctrine of evolution has not been
fully established as firmly as and in the
way that the Copernican system has
been demonstrated beyond the possibifi-
.ty of eaVil, nothing has ever been or ev-
or can be proved. The only escape is to
say that all these different forms were
heated separately and at separate epochs.
q belief which can never be deInonstrat-
ed, and Is not supported by any 9th
er evidence or pretended evidence.
The time will come when such endeay-
Qrs to escape the cD1eiusion will be
looked upon az are the views of those
not vet wholly extinct writers who hold
that fossils are no indications of animals
but either the sports OF nature or, as has
RECENTLY been grayely asserted, special
creations to- test our f:ith. All evidence
fayoFs evolutionand there is none against
it. To the uninfoTfncf it seems an in
sQueraile objection tBat geologists, as
trpn0nlers and physicists say that not
sufficient time has c!apsed since the earth
grew cool enough TO support life for all
these changes Of form We look to the
geoiOsi5t aud physicist for information
in regard 10 the time necessary for the
of these forms, the exist
ence of which we absolutely know. Let
them set the time; with that we have
nothing TO do. There is no foundation
fer The assertion that eVolutionists de-
mand an Impossible time; the biologist
has no way 10 judge Of time, he takes
his facts from the geologisl, who tells
him how long it took to lay the rocky
deposits. II he says 500, 900, 600 years,
We suppose be has good grounds for say
ing SO, Ond so long it took for the deYel-
1pment; if he says 100000 years,
bat was the time in which evolution &C.
its work. Suppose Sir VIII
'.sln Thompson says that life could not
bare eItatee ct such or such time: e7-
Editorials will tell him to discuss that
question with the geologists-we take
what they say il does lot concern Gs.
Il have now" said Professor Huxley,
reached the conclusion of my task.
My purpose has not been TO enable the
threading TO leave this hall in condi-
lion TO decide as TO the validity or inya- |
idity of evolution, but to put before you
the principles and facts for Judging that
hypothesis, and TO show you the value
Of the evidence and its cogency. TO ac-
complish this | have not hesitated to
take you as students through arguments
which sometimes must have tried your
patience, or 10 inflict upon you details
which could not be avoided. rejoice
to fa'.vss dosu.s .spSs siss fetaates service IN
my power, it / have convinced you that
50 great question is not TO be dealt
with in rhetorical fiourishes and loose
talk but deserves the keenest attention
of the trained intellect and observation.
When l began l did not think it neces-
ssry to form prologue as a stranger,
for | have met so many friends in this
country that to do so would have been
out of place. | know how hard it is for
a foreigner 10 exp ess himself in your
hut the reporters have shown
HAT my ibG 2ction and accent were no
bar to them in giving most wonderful
reports. TO-lnorrOw the vessel now
ready To slip her mOoTings, will bear me
back across the ocean. l give you my
hearty thanks for your kind recePtion of
me. and still more for that highest OF
your undivided attention"