The sun., 1901-03-17
II

ments which tell the history OF our race.
So much for tho evolution OF the body
We pass TO what Prof Haeckel has to say
about the evolution OF the mind In chapter
on The Nature Of the Soul" the conviction ls
OF pressed tha, a new and fertile epoch dawned
for psychology when Darwin applied to II
tho principles OF evolution forty years ago
II will be remem bered that the seventh chap
tor of The Origin OF Species" is devoted TO
instinct Herein much evidence is collected
for the assertion that the instincts OF animals
like all other vital processes, arc subject 10
the general laws Of historic development.
The special instincts Of particular species
were formed by adaptation. and the modn-
cation. thus acquired were handed on 20
posterity by heredity. In their formation
and preservation natural selection plays
the same part as In the transformation OF
every other physiological function. Darwin
afterward developed this fundamental
thought in a number Of works, showing that
the same laws OF mental evolution hold
good throughout the entire organic world.
not less in man than In the brute and even
I'm the plant Hence the unity Of he organic
world which is revealed by the common origin
OF its members Is recognizable also In the
entire province of psy chic life. from the SIM
plest unicelluar organism up to man
1t IL George Romanes that our author
credits with the further development OF Oar
wins psychology and It's special Application
| to the different sections Of psychic activity
-His premature decease prevented the com
pletion OF the great work which was to re-
| construct every section OF comparative psy-
| ohology on the lines Of monistic evolution.
| The two volumes Of this work which were
| completed arc among the most valuable
productions of psychological literature Com
| formally to the principles Of modern mon
| istic research, the writer's first care was 10
| collect and arrange all tho important facts
| which have been emplrirally established
| in the field OF comparative psychology in
| the course Of centuries: in the second place
| these facts are tested with an objective critl-
| ci-m and systematically distributed finally.
| such rational conclusions are drawn from
them on the chief general questions of psy-
| choogy as are IN harmony with the funda-
, mental principles Of modern monism. The
| first volume Of Romaness work bears the
| title Mental Evolution In the Animal World
| IL exhibits the entire length Of the chain OF
psychic evolution in the animal world. from
the simplest sensations md instincts OF the
| lowest animals to the elaborate phenomena
OF consciousness and reason in the highest.
The second and more important volume OF
Rolanes's work treats OF Mental Evolution
in Man and the origin Of Human Faculties
| Prof Haeck- finds in II a convincing proc!
that the psychological barrier between man
and the brute has heen overcome Mans
power Of CouCcptual thought and OF abstrac-
ton has been gradually evolved from tho non.
conceptual stages of thought and ideation II
the nearest related mammals Mans high,
eat mental powers reason, speech and con
science hRve arisen from lower stages Of IN,
sane faculties in our primat" ancestors. tht
sinip and prosimiT Man has no single men
tai faculty which is his exclusive prcrogatIve
His whole psvchc life differs from that o.
the nearest related mammal only in degre'
and not n kind, quantltatlve" not quaiita
lively
In discussion Of "psvchic rradatons.
| Prof HaccEel insists that speech is no NOR,
an rXclusive prerogatye of man than IS reason
In the wider scuec speech X a common feat
ure Of all the higher grrgarious animals. a
least Of al! the articulHfes and the vcrte
bratcs which live in communities or herds
the, need Il for the purpose Of under
standing each other ana communicatlni
then Impressions This purpose is attalnc,
r.thcr y tn".l &" by sigma or by sound
having u i. .aNltc mcanng The song o
/ the bird or Of th" anthropoid ape thy,o
bates, tie bark Of the dog the neigh Of ia,
, hor-,. the Chirl OF the cricket tho Try OF TN
/ | ,..ldu, are an .p"cmrus ~ animal speech
. Onl' m man. however. has Grt.culatc concep
I ! ,ua, -prr,4 80 Developed a. to onab" hi
reason ru ,ornu3,~ hiEh achievements
, | "Coinpurat,vn rh.lolo ~. one Of the most in
/. tcJc.riua scicucc- that has arisen during m
p / century, has shown tina, tn" numerous clah
r | oratc language. o.! the different nations hhv
, been slowly and gradually evolved froT
, a few simple primitive Tongues Angus
y srhrchrr u jena in particular has prove
. | that the historical development Of language
70 tnkes place under Ia" 'anc phylogcneti
, Inv, as tho evolution " other physiologiCJ
p. | faculties and thcir organs RomAnes
= lSga cNpandcd this truth and demonstrate
4 TINT human -pcrch differs from that of m
- brute only In degree of development. not
rsssrcc and kind
% The author Of the Riddle Of the Universe
% procccdS 10 indicate how even tn" questo
~ of the freedom or the will Is affected by n
n evolutionary philH'ophy. lie maintains thu