第54章
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  Southall’scontention,seeBrugsch,EgyptofthePharoahs。Forthetwosidesofthequestionwhetherinthelowergradesofsavagerythereisreallyanyrecognitionofasuperiorpower,oranythingwhichcanbecalled,inanyacceptedsense,religion,compareQuatrefageswithLubbock,inworksalreadycited。ForastrikingbutratheradcaptandumefforttoshowthatthereisamoralandreligioussenseintheverylowestofAustraliantribes,seeoneofthediscoursesofArchbishopVaughnonScienceandReligion,Baltimore,1879。Foroneoutofmultitiudesofstrikingandinstructiveresemblancesinancientstoneimplementsandthosenowinuseamongsundrysavagetribes,seecomparisonbetweenoldScandanavianarrowheadsandthoserecentlybroughtfromTierradelFuego,inNilsson,asabove,especiallyinPlateV。Forabriefandadmirablestatementoftheargumentsonbothsides,seeSirJ。Lubbock’sDundeepaper,givenintheappendixtotheAmericaneditionofhisOriginofCivilization,etc。ForthegeneralargumentreferredtobetweenWhatelyandtheDukeofArgyllononeside,andLubbockontheother,seeLubbock’sDundeepaperasabovecited;Tylor,EarlyHistoryofMankind,especiallyp。193;andtheDukeofArgyll,PrimevalMan,partiv。

  Fordifficultiesofsavagesinarithmetic,seeLubbock,asabove,pp。459etseq。Foraverytemperateandjudicialviewofthewholequestion,seeTylorasabove,chaps。viiandxiii。Forabriefsummaryofthescientificpositionregardingthestagnationanddeteriorationofraces,resultinginthestatementthatsuchdeterioration“innowaycontradictsthetheorythatcivilizationitselfisdevelopedfromlowtohighstages。”seeTylor,Anthropology,chap。i。Forstrikingexamplesofthetestimonyoflanguagetoupwardprogress,seeTylor,chap。xii。

  CHAPTERX。

  THE“FALLOFMAN“ANDHISTORY。

  Thehistoryofart,especiallyasshownbyarchitecture,inthenoblestmonumentsofthemostenlightenednationsofantiquity;

  givesabundantproofsoftheupwardtendencyofmanfromtherudestandsimplestbeginnings。ManycolumnsofearlyEgyptiantemplesortombsarebutbundlesofNilereedsslightlyconventionalizedinstone;thetemplesofGreece,includingnotonlytheearliestforms,buttheParthenonitself,whileinpartsshowinganevolutionoutofEgyptianandAssyrianarchitecture,exhibitfrequentreminiscencesandevenimitationsofearlierconstructionsinwood;themedievalcathedrals,whileevolvedoutofRomanandByzantinestructures,constantlyshowunmistakablesurvivalsofprehistoricconstruction。[195]

  [195]Astoevolutioninarchitecture,andespeciallyofGreekformsandornamentsoutofEgyptianandAssyrian,withsurvivalsinstonearchitectureofformsobtainedinEgyptwhenreedswereused,andinGreecewhenwoodconstructionprevailed,seeFergusson’sHandbookofArchitecture,vol。i,pp。100,228,233,andelsewhere;alsoOtfriedMuller,AncientArtanditsRemains,Englishtranslation,London,1852,pp。219,passim。Foraverybriefbutthoroughstatement,seeA。Magnard’spaperintheProceedingsoftheAmericanOrientalSociety,October,1889,entitledReminiscencesofEgyptinDoricArchitecture。Onthegeneralsubject,seeHommel,Babylonien,ch。i,andMeyer,Alterthum,i,S199。

  So,too,generalhistoryhascomein,illustratingtheunknownfromtheknown:thedevelopmentofmanintheprehistoricperiodfromhisdevelopmentwithinhistorictimes。Nothingismoreevidentfromhistorythanthefactthatweakerbodiesofmendrivenoutbystrongerdonotnecessarilyrelapseintobarbarism,butfrequentlyrise,evenunderthemostunfavourablecircumstances,toacivilizationequalorsuperiortothatfromwhichtheyhavebeenbanished。Outofverymanyexamplesshowingthislawofupwarddevelopment,afewmaybetakenastypical。

  TheSlavs,whosanksolowunderthepressureofstrongerracesthattheygavethemodernworldanewwordtoexpressthemosthopelessservitude,havedevelopedpowerfulcivilizationspeculiartothemselves;the,barbariantribeswhoagesagotookrefugeamidthesand-banksandmorassesofHolland,havedevelopedoneoftheworld’sleadingcentresofcivilization;

  thewretchedpeasantswhoaboutthefifthcenturytookrefugefrominvadinghordesamongthelagoonsandmudbanksofVenetia,developedapowerinart,arms,andpoliticswhichisamongthewondersofhumanhistory;thePuritans,drivenfromthecivilizationofGreatBritaintotheunfavourableclimate,soil,andcircumstancesofearlyNewEngland,——theHuguenots,drivenfromFrance,acountryadmirablyfittedforthehighestgrowthofcivilization,tovariouscountriesfarlessfittedforsuchgrowth,——theIrishpeasantry,driveninvastnumbersfromtheirownislandtootherpartsoftheworldonthewholelessfittedtothem——allareproofsthat,asarule,bodiesofmenonceenlightened,whendriventounfavourableclimatesandbroughtunderthemostdepressingcircumstances,notonlyretainwhatenlightenmenttheyhave,butgoonincreasingit。Besidesthese,wehavesuchcasesasthoseofcriminalsbanishedtovariouspenalcolonies,fromwhosedescendantshasbeendevelopedabettermorality;andofpirates,likethoseoftheBounty,whosedescendants,inaremotePacificisland,becamesober,steadycitizens。Thousandsofexamplesshowtheprevalenceofthissamerule——thatmeninmassesdonotforgetthemaingainsoftheircivilization,andthat,inspiteofdeteriorations,theirtendencyisupward。

  Anotherclassofhistoricfactsalsotestifiesinthemoststrikingmannertothissameupwardtendency:thedeclineanddestructionofvariouscivilizationsbrilliantbuthopelesslyvitiated。Thesecatastrophesareseenmoreandmoretobebutstepsin,thisdevelopment。Thecrumblingawayofthegreatancientcivilizationsbasedupondespotism,whetherthedespotismofmonarch,priest,ormob——thedeclineandfallofRomancivilization,forexample,which,inhismostremarkablegeneralization,GuizothasshowntohavebeennecessarytothedevelopmentoftherichercivilizationofmodernEurope;theterriblestruggleandlossoftheCrusades,whichonceappearedtobeamerecatastrophe,butarenowseentohavebroughtin,withthedownfalloffeudalism,thebeginningsofthecentralizing,civilizingmonarchicalperiod;theFrenchRevolution,oncethoughtamereoutburstofdiabolicpassion,butnowseentobeanundulydelayedtransitionfromthemonarchicaltotheconstitutionalepoch:allshowthatevenwidespreaddeteriorationanddecline——often,indeed,thegreatestpoliticalandmoralcatastrophes——sofarfromleadingtoafallofmankind,tendinthelongruntoraisehumanitytohigherplanes。

  Thus,then,Anthropologyanditshandmaids,Ethnology,Philology,andHistory,havewroughtout,beyondadoubt,proofsoftheupwardevolutionofhumanitysincetheappearanceofmanuponourplanet。

  Norhavetheseresearchesbeenconfinedtoprogressinman’smaterialcondition。Farmoreimportantevidenceshavebeenfoundofupwardevolutioninhisfamily,social,moral,intellectual,andreligiousrelations。ThelightthrownonthissubjectbysuchmenasLubbock,Tylor,HerbertSpencer,Buckle,Draper,MaxMuller,andamultitudeofothers,despitemistakes,haltings,stumblings,andoccasionalfollowingofdelusivepaths,isamongthegreatestgloriesofthecenturynowending。Fromalltheseinvestigatorsintheirvariousfields,holdingnobriefforanysystemsacredorsecular,butseekingtruthastruth,comesthesamegeneraltestimonyoftheevolutionofhigheroutoflower。

  Theprocesshasbeenindeedslowandpainful,butthisdoesnotprovethatitmaynotbecomemorerapidandlessfruitfulinsorrowashumanitygoeson。[196]

  [196]Astothegoodeffectsofmigration,seeWaitz,IntroductiontoAnthropology,London,1863,p。345。

  While,then,itisnotdeniedthatmanyinstancesofretrogressioncanbefound,theconsentingvoiceofunbiasedinvestigatorsinalllandshasdeclaredmoreandmorethatthebeginningsofourracemusthavebeenlowandbrutal,andthatthetendencyhasbeenupward。Tocombatthisconclusionbyexamplesofdeclineanddeteriorationhereandtherehasbecomeimpossible:aswelltrytoprovethat,becauseintheMississippithereareeddiesinwhichthecurrentsflownorthward,thereisnomainstreamflowingsouthward;orthat,becausetreesdecayandfall,thereisnolawofupwardgrowthfromgermtotrunk,branches,foliage,andfruit。

  Averystrikingevidencethatthetheologicaltheoryhadbecomeuntenablewasseenwhenitsmainsupporterinthescientificfield,VonMartius,inthefullripenessofhispowers,publiclydeclaredhisconversiontothescientificview。

  Yet,whilethetendencyofenlightenedhumanthoughtinrecenttimesisunmistakable,thestruggleagainsttheolderviewisnotyetended。ThebitternessoftheAbbeHamardinFrancehasbeencarriedtosimilarandevengreaterextremesamongsundryProtestantbodiesinEuropeandAmerica。Thesimpletruthofhistorymatesitanecessity,unpleasantthoughitbe,tochronicletwotypicalexamplesintheUnitedStates。

  Intheyear1875aleaderinAmericanindustrialenterpriseendowedatthecapitalofaSouthernStateauniversitywhichborehisname。Itwasgivenintothehandsofoneofthereligioussectsmostpowerfulinthatregion,andabishopofthatsectbecameitspresident。ToitschairofGeologywascalledAlexanderWinchell,ascholarwhohadalreadywoneminenceasateacherandwriterinthatfield,aprofessorgreatlybelovedandrespectedinthetwouniversitieswithwhichhehadbeenconnected,andamemberofthesectwhichtheinstitutionoflearningabovereferredtorepresented。

  ButhisrelationstothisSoutherninstitutionweredestinedtobebrief。ThathislecturesattheVanderbiltUniversitywerelearned,attractive,andstimulating,evenhisenemieswereforcedtoadmit;buthewassoonfoundtobelievethattherehadbeenmenearlierthantheperiodassignedtoAdam,andeventhatallthehumanracearenotdescendedfromAdam。HisdesirewastoreconcilescienceandScripture,andhewasnowtreatedbyaMethodistEpiscopalBishopinTennesseejustas,twocenturiesbefore,LaPeyrerehadbeentreated,forasimilareffort,byaRomanCatholicvicar-generalinBelgium。Thepublicationofaseriesofarticlesonthesubject,contributedbytheprofessortoaNorthernreligiousnewspaperatitsownrequest,broughtmatterstoaclimax;for,thearticleshavingfallenunderthenoticeofaleadingSouthwesternorganofthedenominationcontrollingtheVanderbiltUniversity,theresultwasamostbitterdenunciationofProf。Winchellandofhisviews。ShortlyafterwardtheprofessorwastoldbyBishopMcTyeirethat“ourpeopleareoftheopinionthatsuchviewsarecontrarytotheplanofredemption。”andwasrequestedbythebishoptoquietlyresignhischair。Tothistheprofessormadethefittingreply:

  “Iftheboardoftrusteeshavethemanlinesstodismissmeforcause,anddeclarethecause,Ipreferthattheyshoulddoit。

  Nopoweronearthcouldpersuademetoresign。”

  “Wedonotpropose。”saidthebishop,withquitegratuitoussuggestiveness,“totreatyouastheInquisitiontreatedGalileo。”

  “Butwhatyouproposeisthesamething。”rejoinedDr。Winchell。

  “Itisecclesiasticalproscriptionforanopinionwhichmustbesettledbyscientificevidence。”

  Twenty-fourhourslaterDr。Winchellwasinformedthathischairhadbeenabolished,anditsduties,withitssalary,addedtothoseofacolleague;thepublicweregiventounderstandthatthereasonswerepurelyeconomic;thebanishedscholarwasheapedwithofficialcompliments,evidentlyinhopethathewouldkeepsilence。

  SuchwasnotDr。Winchell’sview。Inafranklettertotheleadingjournaloftheuniversitytownhestatedthewholematter。Theintolerance-hatingpressofthecountry,religiousandsecular,didnotholditspeace。Invaintheauthoritiesoftheuniversitywaitedforthestormtoblowover。Itwasevident,atlast,thatadefencemustbemade,andalocalorganofthesect,whichundertheeditorshipofafellow-professorhadalwaystreatedDr。Winchell’sviewswiththeluminousinaccuracywhichusuallycharacterizesaprofessor’sideasofarival’steachings,assumedthetask。Inthearticleswhichfollowed,theusualscientifichypothesesastothecreationweredeclaredtobe“absurd。”“vagueandunintelligible。”“preposterousandgratuitous。”Thisnewchampionstatedthat“theobjectionsdrawnfromthefossiliferousstrataandthelikearemetbyreferencetotheanalogyofAdamandEve,whopresentedthephenomenaofadultswhentheywerebutadayold,andbytheFloodofNoahandothercataclysms,which,withtheconstantchangeofNature,aresufficienttoaccountforthephenomenainquestion“!

  UnderinspirationofthissorttheTennesseeConferenceofthereligiousbodyincontroloftheuniversityhadalready,inOctober,1878,givenutterancetoitsopinionofunsanctifiedscienceasfollows:“Thisisanageinwhichscientificatheism,havingdivesteditselfofthehabilimentsthatmostadornanddignifyhumanity,walksabroadinshamelessdenudation。Thearrogantandimpertinentclaimsofthis`science,falselysocalled,’havebeensoboisterousandpersistent,thattheunthinkingmasshavebeensadlydeluded;butouruniversityalonehashadthecouragetolayitsyoungbutvigoroushanduponthemaneofuntamedSpeculationandsay,`Wewillhavenomoreofthis。’“Itisaconsolationtoknowhowtheresult,thusdevoutlysought,hasbeenachieved;forinthe“ode“sungatthelayingofthecorner-stoneofanewtheologicalbuildingofthesameuniversity,inMay,1880,weread:

  “ScienceandRevelationhereInperfectharmonyappear,GuidingyoungfeetalongtheroadThroughgraceandNatureuptoGod。”

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