THE STUDY OF SOCIOLOGY. 605 



help them ; and their life must also be like, in lacking that overflowing 

 energy which, while it makes labors easy, makes enjoyments keen. In 

 proportion as vigor declines, not only do the causes of pain multiply, 

 while the tax on the energies becomes more trying, but the possibilities 

 of pleasure decrease ; many delights demanding, or accompanying, 

 exertion are shut out ; and others fail to raise the flagging spirits. So 

 that, to sum up, lowering the average type of constitution to a level of 

 strength below that which meets without difficulty the ordinary strains, 

 and perturbations, and dangers, while it fails eventually to diminish the 

 rate of mortality, makes life more a burden and less a gratification. 



I am aware that this reasoning may be met by the criticism that, 

 carried out rigorously, it would negative social ameliorations in gen- 

 eral. Some, perhaps, will say that even those measures by which 

 order is maintained might be opposed for the reason that there results 

 from them a kind of men less capable of self-protection than would 

 otherwise exist. And there will doubtless be suggested the corollary 

 that no influences detrimental to health ought to be removed. I am 

 not concerned to meet such criticisms, for the reason that I do not 

 mean the conclusions above indicated to be taken without qualifica- 

 tion. It is obvious enough that, up to a certain point, the removal of 

 destructive causes leaves a balance of benefit. The simple fact, that, 

 with a largely-augmented population, longevity is greater now than 

 heretofore, goes far toward showing that, up to the time lived through 

 by those who die in our day, there had been a decrease of the causes 

 of mortality in some directions, greater than their increase in other 

 directions. Though a considerable drawback may be suspected 

 though, on observing how few thoroughly-strong people we meet, 

 and how prevalent are chronic ailments notwithstanding the care 

 taken of health it may be inferred that bodily life now is lower in 

 quality than it was, though greater in quantity yet there has prob- 

 ably been gained a surplus of advantage. All I wish to show is, that 

 there are limits to the good gained by a such a policy. It is supposed 

 in the Legislature, and by the public at large, that, if, by measures 

 taken, a certain mirnber of deaths by disease have been prevented, so 

 much pure benefit has been secured. But it is not so. In any case, 

 there is a set-off from the benefit ; and, if such measures are greatly 

 multiplied, the deductions may eat up the benefit entirely, and leave 

 an injury in its place. Where such measures ought to stop, is a 

 question that may be left open. Here my purpose is simply to point 

 out the way in which a far-reaching biological truth underlies rational 

 conclusions in Sociology, and also to point out that formidable evils 

 may arise from ignoring it. 



Other evils, no less serious, are entailed by legislative actions and 

 by actions of individuals, single and combined, which overlook or dis- 

 regard a kindred biological truth. Besides an habitual neglect of the 



