160 THE DESCENT OF MAN. [Part I. 



degree the spirit of patriotism, fidelity, obedience, courage, 

 and sympathy, were always ready to give aid to each 

 other and to sacrifice themselves for the common good, 

 would be victorious over most other tribes ; and this 

 would be natural selection. At all times throughout the 

 world tribes have supplanted other tribes ; and as morali- 

 ty is one element in their success, the standard of morality 

 and the number of well-endowed men will thus every- 

 where tend to rise and increase. 



It is, however, very difficult to form any judgment 

 why one particular tribe and not another has been success- 

 ful and has risen in the scale of civilization. Many sav- 

 ages are in the same condition as when first discovered 

 several centuries ago. As Mr. Bagehot has remarked, we 

 are apt to look at progress as the normal rule in human 

 society ; but history refutes this. The ancients did not 

 even entertain the idea ; nor do the Oriental nations at the 

 present day. According to another high authority, Mr. 

 Maine, 8 " the greatest part of mankind has never shown a 

 particle of desire that its civil institutions should be im- 

 proved." Progress seems to depend on many concurrent 

 favorable conditions, far too complex to be followed out. 

 But it has often been remarked, that a cool climate from 

 leading to industry and the various arts has been highly 

 favorable, or even indispensable for this end. The Esqui- 

 maux, pressed by hard necessity, have succeeded in many 

 ingenious inventions, but their climate has been too severe 

 for continued progress. Nomadic habits, whether over 

 wide plains, or through the dense forests of the tropics, or 

 along the shores of the sea, have in every case been highly 

 detrimental. While observing the barbarous inhabitants 

 of Tierra del Fuego, it struck me that the possession of 

 some property, a fixed abode, and the union of many fami- 



8 ' Ancient Law,' 1861, p. 22. For Mr. Bagehot's remarks, ' Fort- 

 uiglitly Review,' April 1, 1868, p. 452. 



