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The Descent of Man

The Descent of Man

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chapter, believe that musical sounds afforded<br />

one <strong>of</strong> the bases for the development <strong>of</strong> language.<br />

(40. I find in Lord Monboddo's 'Origin<br />

<strong>of</strong> Language,' vol. i. 1774, p. 469, that Dr. Blacklock<br />

likewise thought "that the first language<br />

among men was music, and that before our<br />

ideas were expressed by articulate sounds, they<br />

were communicated by tones varied according<br />

to different degrees <strong>of</strong> gravity and acuteness.")<br />

As the males <strong>of</strong> several quadrumanous animals<br />

have their vocal organs much more developed<br />

than in the females, and as a gibbon, one <strong>of</strong> the<br />

anthropomorphous apes, pours forth a whole<br />

octave <strong>of</strong> musical notes and may be said to<br />

sing, it appears probable that the progenitors <strong>of</strong><br />

man, either the males or females or both sexes,<br />

before acquiring the power <strong>of</strong> expressing their<br />

mutual love in articulate language, endeavoured<br />

to charm each other with musical notes and<br />

rhythm. So little is known about the use <strong>of</strong> the<br />

voice by the Quadrumana during the season <strong>of</strong>

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