96 THE DESCENT OF MAN. Part I. 



help admiring him, or even an Indian Fakir, who, from 

 a foolish religious motive, swings suspended by a hook 

 buried in his flesh. 



The other self-regarding virtues, which do not ob- 

 viously, though they may really, affect the welfare of 

 the tribe, have never been esteemed by savages, though 

 now highly appreciated by civilised nations. The 

 greatest intemperance with savages is no reproach. 

 Their utter licentiousness, not to mention unnatural 

 crimes, is something astounding. 27 As soon, however, as 

 marriage, whether polygamous or monogamous, becomes 

 common, jealousy will lead to the inculcation of female 

 virtue ; and this being honoured will tend to spread to the 

 unmarried females. How slowly it spreads to the male 

 sex we see at the present day. Chastity eminently 

 requires self-command ; therefore it has been honoured 

 from a very early period in the moral history of civilised 

 man. As a consequence of this, the senseless practice 

 of celibacy has been ranked from a remote period as 

 a virtue. 28 The hatred of indecency, which appears to 

 us so natural as to be thought innate, and which is so 

 valuable an aid to chastity, is a modern virtue, apper- 

 taining exclusively, as Sir G. Staunton remarks, 29 to 

 civilised life. This is shewn by the ancient religious 

 rites of various nations, by the drawings on the walls of 

 Pompeii, and by the practices of many savages. 



We have now seen that actions are regarded by 

 savages, and were probably so regarded by primeval 

 man, as good or bad, solely as they affect in an obvious 

 manner the welfare of the tribe, — not that of the 

 species, nor that of man as an individual member of the 



27 Mr. M'Lennan has given ('Primitive Marriage,' 1865, p. 176) a 

 good collection of facts on this head. 



Lecky, ' History of European Morals,' vol. i. 1869, p. 109. 

 29 'Embassy to China,' vol. ii. p. 348. 



28 



