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The Descent of Man

The Descent of Man

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love, that we have no means <strong>of</strong> judging whether<br />

the habit <strong>of</strong> singing was first acquired by<br />

our male or female ancestors. Women are generally<br />

thought to possess sweeter voices than<br />

men, and as far as this serves as any guide, we<br />

may infer that they first acquired musical powers<br />

in order to attract the other sex. (41. See an<br />

interesting discussion on this subject by Haeckel,<br />

'Generelle Morphologie,' B. ii. 1866, s. 246.)<br />

But if so, this must have occurred long ago,<br />

before our ancestors had become sufficiently<br />

human to treat and value their women merely<br />

as useful slaves. <strong>The</strong> impassioned orator, bard,<br />

or musician, when with his varied tones and<br />

cadences he excites the strongest emotions in<br />

his hearers, little suspects that he uses the same<br />

means by which his half-human ancestors long<br />

ago aroused each other's ardent passions, during<br />

their courtship and rivalry.<br />

THE INFLUENCE OF BEAUTY IN DETER-<br />

MINING THE MARRIAGES OF MANKIND.

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