in the mud of the cambrian main

did our earliest ancestor dive:

from a shapeless albuminous grain

we mortals our being derive.

he could split himself up into five,

or roll himself round like a ball;

for the fittest will always survive,

while the weakliest go to the wall.

as an active ascidian again

fresh forms he began to contrive,

till he grew to a fish with a brain,

and brought forth a mammal alive.

with his rivals he next had to strive,

to woo him a mate and a thrall;

so the handsomest managed to wive,

while the ugliest went to the wall.

at length as an ape he was fain

the nuts of the forest to rive;

till he took to the low-lying plain,

and proceeded his fellow to knive.

thus did cannibal men first arrive,

one another to swallow and maul;

and the strongest continued to thrive,

while the weakliest went to the wall.

envoy.

prince, in our civilised hive,

now money's the measure of all;

and the wealthy in coaches can drive,

while the needier go to the wall.

the evolutionist at large.