animal having
preceded man is not a proof of the evolution, change and alteration of the
species, nor that man was raised from the animal world to the human world.
For while the individual appearance of these different beings is certain,
it is possible that man came into existence after the animal. So when we
examine the vegetable kingdom, we see that the fruits of the different
trees do not arrive at maturity at one time; on the contrary, some come
first and others afterward. This priority does not prove that the later
fruit of one tree was produced from the earlier fruit of another tree.

Second, these slight signs and traces of members have perhaps a great
reason of which the mind is not yet cognizant. How many things exist of
which we do not yet know the reason! So the science of physiology--that is
to say, the knowledge of the composition of the members--records that the
reason and cause of the difference in the colors of animals, and of the
hair of men, of the redness of the lips, and of the variety of the colors
of birds, is still unknown; it is secret and hidden. But it is known that
the pupil of the eye is black so as to attract the rays of the sun, for if
it were another color--that is, uniformly white--it would not attract the
rays of the sun. Therefore, as the reason of the things we have mentioned
is unknown, it is possible that the reason and the wisdom of these traces
of members, whether they be in the animal or man, are equally unknown.
Certainly there is a reason, even though it is not known.

Third, let us suppose that there was a time when some animals, or even
man, possessed some members which have now disappeared; this is not a
sufficient proof of the change and evolution of the species. For man, from
the beginning of the embryonic period till he reaches the degree of
maturity, goes through different forms and appearances. His aspect, his
form, his appearance and color change; he passes from one form to another,
and from one appearance to another. Nevertheless, from the beginning of
the embryonic period he is of the species of man--that is to say, an embryo
of a man and not of an animal; but this is not at first apparent, but
later it becomes visible and evident. For example, let us suppose that man
once resembled the animal, and that now he has progressed and changed.
Supposing this to be true, it is still not a proof of the change of
species. No, as before mentioned, it is merely like the change a