The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-04-23
The Ages of Silence.

The Ages of Silence.
Among the contributors to our current
magazine literature there are few writer's Of
more philosophic acumen than Mr.. JOHN
FIsKE. Formerly lecturer and assistant
librarian at Harvard University, and the au
thor OF the most noteworthy and valuable
American work on the philosophy OF evolu-
ton, he has lately turned his attention to the
scientific study OF history In Its broader as
poets. His paper on the Arrival Of Man in
Europe" published In the May number Of the
Atlantic Monthly, is one Of the results Of his
labor In this field Of research, and is remark
able for some Of the conclusions it suggests.
For his facts, Of course, he has to depend
upon others. He takes what CRoLL and
GEIKIE and DAwKISs tell us about the phys
ical and geological changes which the earth
has undergone and the traces left by primi-
tive man upon OF under its surface. From
their statements he cOnstIucts a clear and
concise account Of the arrival OF mankind in
Europe. Beginning at the close Of period
OF which the fossils in the rocks furnish the
only knowledge we now possess, he finds that
four races OF men have successfully dwelt in
European lands First in order Of time were
the men of the River Drift, who lived wholly
by hunting and used only Clipped stone i'm
plements of the rudest sort. They were con-
temporary with the rhinoceros in western
Europe, where sub-tropical climate must
then have prevailed. In the glacial period
which followed came the so-called Cave men,
now represented only by the Esquimaux.
They possessed finer tools and weapons than
their predecessors, yet of nothing but Clipped
A RI lIn lot
to have been developed among them. They
made pictures with sharp-pointed hlnts on
the antlers of reindeer and on bones and
stones, outlined with wonderful accuracy,
and reproducing the distinctive character
istice in form OF the various animals with
which they were familiar.
To the Cave men succeeded third race,
which Mr. FIsKE calls tho Iberians. These
were the men Of the Ncolithic or new stone
age. They sharpened their stone imple-
ments not simply by chipping, but by grind
ing; 80 that the introduction Of the grind
stone must be regarded as an important step
In human progress. The men Of the new
stone age Wore farmers and woavers, as well
as hunters; they built houses and boats, and
made pottery; and there Is reason to believe
that they had some idea OF an existence
after death. To this race the lake jewellers
OF Switzerland are supposed u have be-
longed. Their modern representatives are
the swarthy Basque inhabitants OF Spain.
Finally came from Central Asia the fourth
and last race, the tall, fair-complcxioned
Aryans, who intermarrlcd with the darker
Ibarians and together with them became the
progenitors OF the modern peoples Of Europe
When did these successive invasions re-
spectively begin? The earliest race, the
men Of the River Drift, certainly preceded
the glacial period Of the age which geOlo-
gists term the Pleistoccne. That age began
100000 years ago, and Mr.. FIsXE is evidently
inclined TO think that human beings had in
habited Europe at least 10000 years earlier.
He thus aseribcs to our race an antiquity
Of not less than 10000 years.
In this enormous length OF time he finds
an argument in favor Of the theory OF evolu-
ton, according to which man Is but tho de-
yclopm"nt Of . non-hnman race Of creatures
resembling the manlike apes.
"wsseo man living on the earth for perhaps half q
million yeara 10 all incnts and purposes dumb eaN
none but geological record OF his existence progress
ing with infinite slowncss and difficulty, making his
tory Yet his geologic record il not quite Like that OF the
dog or the ape who could not chip flint and in the In
CLEANS of the divine intelligence that by and by q
shine forth with the gories Of MICHAEL ASGELo. We
cannot but suppose that during those long dumb ages
through infinite hardship and through the stern reg
men OF deadly competition AMI natural selection,
was slowly but surely acquiring that intellectual life
which at last to bloom forth In history and which
has made him the crown and glory of the universe"
But II these long ages Of silence were need
ed to bring man from the animal to the
spiritual from the mere beast to the philos
Opher, the saint, or even the skcptic, what
becomes OF the doctrine OF immortality
Docs modern science demand that we shall
reject the idea Of q life beyond the grave
If not, tell us at what period Of his develop
ment the ape-like being from which mar
sprung first acquired the attribute Of i'm
mortal life? No one will pretend that h
could have possessed 1t at the beginning.
The eloquent words which We have quoted
from Mr.. FISKEs article suggest questions
which no man can answer satisfactorily.