332 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



The history of the religious formations and evolutions that have 

 succeeded one another among mankind for seven thousand years 

 shows that there exists no genetic bond, no necessary relation, be- 

 tween morals and mysticism. With nations as with individuals, the 

 least moral personalities are often met among the most religious. In 

 short, history proves that the development of morals in the world has 

 been connected at the same time with science, from which it has pro- 

 ceeded; and with religions, which have rested upon it as one of 

 their points of support. But no more from the external point of 

 view of history than from that of internal consciousness have morals 

 been the product of religions. The same representative illusion 

 always appears, which transforms into the generative cause of certain 

 ideas the notions that have issued from them. 



The modern conception of morals is of a generous and universal 

 character. It rises with the elevation of intelligence; its practical 

 applications are more or less delicate, according to the sentiments 

 variously developed by peoples and individuals. But it responds 

 to-day, -as it has always responded, to the condition of knowledge 

 as it is more or less advanced according to time, places, and persons. 

 Therefore it could not continue fixed in any decalogue. It under- 

 goes gradual modifications with the continual discoveries of the 

 physiological, psychological, and sociological sciences. Just as there 

 exists by the side of positive science an ideal science, derived from it, 

 moreover, but which precedes it and incites it forward, so there 

 are ideal morals, which announce and precede the evolution of 

 future morals. These ideas, this conception of modern morals, are 

 becoming every day more preponderant, and if they have not yet 

 been accredited by men as established science, it is because of the 

 long religious servitude that has been imposed on education. Down 

 to our own time it has been the practice to base the moral education 

 of the people and the rules of conduct on the catechism — on theo- 

 logical doctrines and prescriptions — instead of establishing them upon 

 positive data acquired from consciousness and the historical and 

 natural sciences. 



We now see every day how the application of scientific teachings 

 to industry is continually adding to the wealth and prosperity of na- 

 tions. The application of the same teachings to hygiene and medi- 

 cine is constantly diminishing the pains and risks of disease, and in- 

 creasing the mean duration of life. The history of the present 

 century likewise demonstrates to what point the lot of all, including 

 the poorest and most humble, has been ameliorated by the new ideas ; 

 while we must not lose sight of the fact that we are still far from 

 having reached the degree of improvement that modern justice and 

 morals demand, which we should all strive to attain. Such are som*"' 



