[3]

DARWIN.

TO THE EDITOR OF BASSETTS' DAILY CHRONICLE.

SIR.—The learned professor says that "the fact of the higher apes using their vocal organs for speech, no doubt depends on their intelligence not having been sufficiently advanced. The possession by them of organs which, with long continued practice, might have been used for speech, although not thus used, is paralleled by the case of the nightingale and crow, having vocal organs similarly constructed, one using them for song, and the other for croaking."

This is verily a proof that "professor" man is always kept in the dark from God's handy-work, when two birds, of the same organs, use them differently for the enjoyment of man by variety.

Third question to Mr. Darwin.—What use would the brute creation be to man if it had not (as I will use the word), reason? They would not know how to protect themselves, nor to dread us, nor obey us and Adam would, indeed, be in a sad state under the circumstances, in the midst of unintelligent animals. I should not make such a statement about Adam, but the other questions I proposed opened the way for it, and it will not be easy to close it again. Religion and common-sense will at once say why not we be satisfied at the close approach of the brute creation to us, when the Creator gave as power over them, and gave us the comprehension to adore Him?

Darwin may ask, why have not the savages comprehension? And I answer, and say that when they only did like the brute creation they were allowed to roam like them and travel in the ungodly way of forgetful comprehension. Let any thinking man place himself, in imagination, on a continent where no commerce took place, and let a certain number of the community pass away from under his control to remote districts, where no religious influence was before them, how many generations would it take to have them become savages?—Yours truly,

CHARLES O'SHAUGHNESSY.

Kilfinane, January 19, 1876.