APPLETONS' 

 POPULAR SCIENCE,,, 



MONTHLY. J^^'^'f^. 



NOVEMBER, 1896. 



THE MORAL STANDARD. 



By WILLIAM HENKY HUDSON, 



PROFESSOK OF ENGLISH LITERATUEE LN THE LELAlfD STAITFOED JE. IJNIVEESITT. 



IN the present paper I purpose to discuss briefly the nature of 

 the moral standard, strictly so called. The simplest way of 

 approaching the subject will perhaps be to pass in rapid review 

 the other principal criteria of conduct, by contrast with which the 

 essential character of the moral criterion itself will be brought 

 -into conspicuous relief. 



From the stiidy of the world's culture history it becomes clear 

 that the extra-moral, or what we shall here call the pre-ethical 

 standards" of conduct, have arisen from three different roots. As 

 we shall presently see, these roots ultimately run into one, as 

 looking at the matter from the evolutionary standpoint we should 

 of course expect ; but inasmuch as the criteria developed by them 

 are in their later forms sharply marked off from one another, it 

 will be desirable for the sake of clearness to treat them sepa- 

 rately. The three principal roots, then, out of which, apart from 

 the true moral root, the influences governing and directing men's 

 lives have arisen, are: (1) The theological or religious root; (2) 

 the social or ceremonial root ; and (3) the legal or political root. 

 We will examine these one by one : 



1. All religions as they pass out of the primitive cult stage of 

 ancestor-worship originate certain specific rules of conduct, which, 

 as they consolidate, grow up into a more or less definite code. For 

 the source and power of such a code we have not far to seek. 

 Arising at the outset from the personal mandates of the deified 

 ancestor or chief, the directions concerning action emanating from 

 this quarter gradually assume a more emphatic, mysterious, 



TOL. L. 1 



