Before, however, passing to consider
in detail the instrument, I will briefly direct your attention to some
facts and theories regarding the origin of speech.
THEORIES ON THE ORIGIN OF SPEECH
The evolutionary theory is thus propounded by Romanes in his "Mental
Evolution in Man," pp. 377-399: "Starting from the highly intelligent and
social species of anthropoid ape as pictured by Darwin, we can imagine that
this animal was accustomed to use its voice freely for the expression of
the emotions, uttering danger signals, and singing. Possibly it may also
have been sufficiently intelligent to use a few imitative sounds; and
certainly sooner or later the receptual life of this social animal must
have advanced far enough to have become comparable with that of an infant
of about two years of age. That is to say, this animal, although not yet
having begun to use articulate signs, must have advanced far enough in the
conventional use of natural signs (a sign with a natural origin in tone and
gesture, whether spontaneously or intentionally imitative) to have admitted
of a totally free exchange of receptual ideas, such as would be concerned
in animal wants and even, perhaps, in the simplest forms of co-operative
action.
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