92 THE DESCENT OF MAN. Part I. 



vengeance. It is possible, or, as we shall hereafter 

 see, even probable, that the habit of self-command 

 may, like other habits, be inherited. Thus at last 

 man comes to feel, through acquired and perhaps in- 

 herited habit, that it is best for him to obey his more 

 persistent instincts. The imperious word ought seems 

 merely to imply the consciousness of the existence of a 

 persistent instinct, either innate or partly acquired, 

 serving him as a guide, though liable to be disobeyed. 

 We hardly use the word ought in a metaphorical sense, 

 when we say hounds ought to hunt, pointers to point, 

 and retrievers to retrieve their game. If they fail thus 

 to act, they fail in their duty and act wrongly. 



If any desire or instinct, leading to an action opposed 

 to the good of others, still appears to a man, when re- 

 called to mind, as strong as, or stronger than, his social 

 instinct, he will feel no keen regret at having followed 

 it ; but he will be conscious that if his conduct were 

 known to his fellows, it would meet with their disap- 

 probation ; and few are so destitute of sympathy as not 

 to feel discomfort when this is realised. If he has no 

 such sympathy, and if his desires leading to bad actions 

 are at the time strong, and when recalled are not over- 

 mastered by the persistent social instincts, then he is 

 essentially a bad man ; ffl and the sole restraining motive 

 left is the fear of punishment, and the conviction that 

 in the long run it would be best for his own selfish 

 interests to regard the good of others rather than his 

 own. 



It is obvious that every one may with an easy con- 

 science gratify his own desires, if they do not interfere 



27 Dr. Prosper Despine, in his 'Psychologic Naturelle,' ]868 (torn, 

 i. p. 243 ; torn. ii. p. 169) gives many curious cases of the worst criminals, 

 who apparently have been entirely destitute of conscience. 



