Correspondence.

Press, Volume III, Issue 132, 2 April 1863, Page 3

Correspondence.

TO THE EDITOR OF TH_ * PB-39.' Sib, —The article in Saturday's ' Press "on " Darwin and the Novelists," was a treat, and I for ono, wish you might be prevailed upon to favour the public, your readers, by yielding to them more of such gratification.

My moro immediate object is to ask whether Darwin's great theory could not be adopted—without any inconsistency—to apply to tho whole living creation except man ; for we happen to know that man was created in a certain image— in ono particular guise, and that he is specially distinguished above all animals. In this way the philosopher's scheme would bo freed from the everlasting stumbling block of man being included. It is probably at the outset a mistake to rank man at all among the animals tho author has to consider and d-criminate. I venture to believe it is a

scientific orror terming him animal. But oven were thero no record of tho manuor of his origin, the fact of man being .reasonablo should at any rate raise a question whether tho principle o* natural selection is not wrongly referred to his body instead of his mind, which is tho only mode of making Darwin's theory—however it might be strainod—possible of application to human beings. Wo havo somo warrant in supposing a progressiv,, and extending improvement from ago to ago in men's mi nds, that, is to Bay, in men, sinco tho " mind's tho standard of tho man," whereas wo lack data as to any improvement in physical powers. Profano history appears to cover too short a period for uilbrding ground for an opinion on tho latter point. However, modorn changes progress more rapidly, and in our present highly wrought civilisation wo may better hopo to witness some resulting change of man's conformation. For instance, wo can expeot to behold ftveos needing no razor, and hair "parting" of itself, at the side or over tho brow according to one's sex. Possibly >t has been already overlooked that a bow legged man is a native horso rider, and those with eyes obliquo aro creatures born to do two jobs at onco.

This ago chiefly longs to bo ablo to fly, apparently; and Monsieur do Groof, a mellowed man, I presume, is said to have accomplished already what forms the aspiration of bo many. Why should wo not expect to find ere long infant Ariels among us ?

Tho fact of mau being a creature with a mind affects the theory awkwardly in all aspects. If wo shall bo what we mostly would bo, behold " quot homines, tot sentential" bars tho way ; for although as a general thing power of flight bo agreed to bo desirable, yot when tho fashion Of tho wings comes under debate, a stoppage im, mediately ensues, especially by reason of tho ladies' senlentice, unloss a compromise like a kiwi'sj is effected. Certainly, to judge by the paucity and retrogression of Quaker notions, tho aspirations to have wings like a dove's would awake but feeble response.

It may bo gravely doubted whether men were over other than they aro in form. I assume that the "principle of seloetion" relates to utility solely, and for that reason little weight seems due to tho opinion of my Lord Monboddo's. Those animals only have the caudal nppondage which always or sometimes travel prone along the ground the appendage serving I opine as balance to facilitate making a turn. Indeed it would be nowonder to mc if somo accurate inquirer observed that a mouso, for example, with its tail cut oSt, was at an immense disadvantage as compared with a mouso not so amputated. And this probablo fact throws light on tho motive of tho farmer* wife who we all know, who " cut ofT their " (the mice's) " tails with a|carving knife." However, what I seek to arrive at, is, that man being upright would really obtain no advantage from a prolongation bohind. Why then, assume that ho ever , had anyP Tho assumption* that ho wore it away by sitting, Bounds too little likely to induce us to suppose its former presence merely for the sake of that assumption. For it will not hold equally with respect to Manx cats aud many creatures in precisely the same, predicament as oursolvos, and who cannot by any one be bclioved to havo sat their tails clean off. Nay, if it is to bo yielded tliat men were once so graced, it becomes fairly questionable whether the appendage did prolong tho vertebra) at all # Nothing is without a cause i and surely the former fashion of queues in England ought to indicate something, and the mode in China to this very day. Believe mc there must be more in a quouo than meets the cursory eye or has hitherto been imagined. A sharp observation might bo advisable when the records of the Celestial Empire become somo day at length disclosed to barbarian scrutiny; but meonwhilo I apologizing for this long intrusion, must continue croditing myself as ono

NIMMEB BeSCHW-IJT. Cliristchurch, 30th March, 1863.