The Descent of Man

The present subject has been treated in so full
and admirable a manner by Sir J. Lubbock (32.
'On the Origin of Civilisation,' 'Proceedings of
the Ethnological Society,' Nov. 26, 1867.), Mr.
Tylor, Mr. M'Lennan, and others, that I need
here give only the briefest summary of their
results. The arguments recently advanced by
the Duke of Argyll (33. 'Primeval Man,' 1869.)
and formerly by Archbishop Whately, in favour
of the belief that man came into the world as a
civilised being, and that all savages have since
undergone degradation, seem to me weak in
comparison with those advanced on the other
side. Many nations, no doubt, have fallen away
in civilisation, and some may have lapsed into
utter barbarism, though on this latter head I
have met with no evidence. The Fuegians were
probably compelled by other conquering hordes
to settle in their inhospitable country, and
they may have become in consequence somewhat
more degraded; but it would be difficult to
prove that they have fallen much below the