Vestiges of the Natural History of CreationChambers, Robert
Science
Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation
Chambers, Robert
Creation; Evolution (Biology)
assimilates him; and how far the suctorial is represented in his nature
it is hardly necessary to say. As the corvidæ, too, are found in every
part of the earth—almost the only one of the inferior animals which has
been acknowledged as universal—so do we find man. He thrives in all
climates, and with regard to style of living, can adapt himself to an
infinitely greater diversity of circumstances than any other animated
creature.
Man, then, considered zoologically, and without regard to the distinct
character assigned to him by theology, simply takes his place as the type
of all types of the animal kingdom, the true and unmistakable head of
animated nature upon this earth. It will readily occur that some more
particular investigations into the ranks of types might throw additional
light on man’s status, and perhaps his nature; and such light we may hope
to obtain when the philosophy of zoology shall have been studied as it
deserves. Perhaps some such diagram as the one given on the next page
will be found to be an approximation to the expression of the merely
natural or secular grade of man in comparison with other animals.
[Picture: Diagram] {274}
Here the upright lines, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, may represent the comparative
height and grade of organization of both the five sub-kingdoms, and the
five classes of each of these; 5 being the vertebrata in the one case,
and the mammalia in the other. The difference between the height of the
line 1 and the line 5 gives an idea of the difference of being the head
type of the aves, (corvidæ,) and the head type of the mammalia, (bimana;)
_a. b. c. d_. 5, again, represent the five groups of the first order of
the mammalia; _a_, being the organic structure of the highest simia, and
5, that of man. A set of tangent lines of this kind may yet prove one of
the most satisfactory means of ascertaining the height and breadth of the
psychology of our species.
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