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: The great break in the organic chain between man and his nearest allies, which cannot be bridged over by any extinct or living species, has often been advanced as a grave objection to the belief that man is descended from some lower form; but this objection will not appear of much weight to those who, from general reasons, believe in the general principle of evolution. Breaks often occur in all parts of the series, some being wide, sharp and defined, others less so in various degrees; as between the orang and its nearest allies- between the Tarsius and the other Lemuridae- between the elephant, and in a more striking manner between the Ornithorhynchus or Echidna, and all other mammals. But these breaks depend merely on the number of related forms which have become extinct. At some future period, not very distant as measured by centuries, the civilised races of man will almost certainly exterminate, and replace, the savage races throughout the world. At the same time the anthropomorphous apes, as Professor Schaaffhausen has remarked,* will no doubt be exterminated. The break between man and his nearest allies will then be wider, for it will intervene between man in a more civilised state, as we may hope, even than the Cauc, and some ape as low as a baboon, instead of as now between the negro or Australian and the gorilla. : The main conclusion arrived at in this work, namely, that man is : descended from some lowly organised form, will, I regret to think, : be highly distasteful to many. But there can hardly be a doubt that we : are descended from barbarians. The astonishment which I felt on : first seeing a party of Fuegians on a wild and broken shore will never : be forgotten by me, for the reflection at once rushed into my mind- : such were our ancestors. These men were absolutely and : bedaubed with paint, their long hair was tangled, their mouths frothed : with excitement, and their expression was wild, startled, and : distrustful. They possessed hardly any arts, and like wild animals : lived on what they could catch; they had no government, and were : merciless to every one not of their own small tribe. He who has seen a : savage in his native land will not feel much shame, if forced to : acknowledge that the blood of some more humble creature flows in his : veins. For my own part I would as soon be descended from that heroic : little monkey, who braved his dreaded enemy in order to save the : life of his keeper, or from that old baboon, who descending from the : mountains, carried away in triumph his young comrade from a crowd of : astonished dogs- as from a savage who delights to his enemies, : offers up bloody sacrifices, practices infanticide without remorse, : treats his wives like slaves, knows no decency, and is haunted by : the grossest superstitions. : Darwin Descent of Man

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