4 8 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



ing classes, intensified by life in India. In a letter published in the 

 Times of May 15, 1872, the late Sir Donald McLeod writes concerning 

 this dismissal and removal : 



"All the information that reaches me tends to prove that a severe hlow has 

 heen given to all chance of vigorous or independent action in future, when emer- 

 gencies may arise. The whole service appears to have been astonished and 

 appalled by the mode in which the officers have been dealt with." 



That we may see clearly what amazing perversions of sentiment 

 and idea are caused by contemplating actions from class points of 

 view, let us turn from this feeling of sympathy with Mr. Cowan to the 

 feeling of detestation shown by members of the same class in England 

 toward a man who kills a fox that destroys his poultry. Here is a 

 paragraph from a recent paper : 



"Five poisoned foxes have been found in the neighborhood of Penzance, and 

 there is consequently great indignation among the western sportsmen. A re- 

 ward of 20 has been offered for information that shall lead to the conviction 

 of the poisoner." 



So that wholesale homicide, condemned alike by religion, by equity, 

 by law, is approved, and the mildest punishment of it blamed ; while 

 vulpicide, committed in defence of property, and condemned neither 

 by religion, nor by equity, nor by any law save that of sportsmen, ex- 

 cites an anger that cries aloud for positive penalties i 



I need not further illustrate the more special distortions of socio- 

 logical belief which result from the class-bias. They may be detected 

 in the conversations over every table, and in the articles appearing in 

 every party-journal or professional publication. The effects here most 

 worthy of our attention are the general effects the effects produced on 

 the minds of the upper and lower classes. Let us observe how greatly 

 the sentiments and ideas generated by their respective social positions 

 pervert the conceptions of employers and employed. We will deal 

 with the employed first. 



As before shown, mere associations of ideas, especially when joined 

 with emotions, affect our beliefs, not simply without reason, but in 

 spite of reason, causing us, for instance, to think there is something 

 intrinsically repugnant in a place where many painful experiences have 

 been received, and something intrinsically charming in a scene con- 

 nected with many past delights. The liability to such perversions of 

 judgment is greatest where persons are the objects with which pleas- 

 ures and pains are habitually associated. One who has often been, 

 even unintentionally, a cause of gratification, is favorably judged ; and 

 an unfavorable judgment is apt to be formed of one who, even invol- 

 untarily, has often inflicted sufferings. Hence, where there are social 

 antagonisms, arises the universal tendency to blame the individuals, 

 and to hold them responsible for the system. 



