of science, and on anthropology in particular. The discovery
of the real origin of man by evolution from a long series of mammal
ancestors threw light on his place in nature in every aspect, as Huxley
had already shown in his excellent lectures of 1863. Just as all the
organs and tissues of the human body had originated from those of the
nearest related mammals, certain ape-like forms, so we were bound to
conclude that his mental qualities also had been derived from those of
his extinct primate ancestor.

This monistic view of the origin and nature of man, which is now
admitted by nearly all who have the requisite acquaintance with
biology, and approach the subject without prejudice, encountered a sharp
opposition at that time. The opposition found its strongest expression
in an address that Virchow delivered at Munich four days afterwards
(September 22nd), on "The freedom of science in the modern State." He
spoke of the theory of evolution as an unproved hypothesis, and declared
that it ought not to be taught in the schools, because it was dangerous
to the State. "We must not," he said, "teach that man has descended from
the ape or any other animal." When Darwin, usually so lenient in his
judgment, read the English translation of Virchow's speech, he expressed
his disapproval in strong terms. But the great authority that Virchow
had--an authority well founded in pathology and sociology--and his
prestige as President of the German Anthropological Society, had the
effect of preventing any member of the Society from raising serious
opposition to him for thirty years. Numbers of journals and treatises
repeated his dogmatic statement: "It is quite certain that man has
descended neither from the ape nor from any other animal." In this he
persisted till his death in 1902. Since that time the whole position of
German anthropology has changed. The question is no longer whether
man was created by a distinct supernatural act or evolved from other
mammals, but to which line of the animal hierarchy we must look for the
actual series of ancestors. The interested reader will find an account
of this "battle of Munich" (1877) in my three Berlin lectures (April,
1905) ("Der Kampf um die Entwickelungs-Gedanken". (English translation;
"Last Words on Evolution", London, 1906.))

The main points in our genealogical tree were clearly recognised by
Darwin in the sixth chapter of the "Descent of Man". Lowly organised
fishes, like the lancelet