166 THE DESCENT OF MAN. Part I. 



social instincts, largely guided by the approbation of 

 our fellow-men, ruled by reason, self-interest, and in 

 later times by deep religious feelings, confirmed by 

 instruction and habit, all combined, constitute our moral 

 sense or conscience. 



It must not be forgotten that although a high stand- 

 ard of morality gives but a slight or no advantage to 

 each individual man and his children over the other 

 men of the same tribe, yet that an advancement in the 

 standard of morality and an increase in the number 

 of well-endowed men will certainly give an immense 

 advantage to one tribe over another. There can be no 

 doubt that a tribe including many members who, from 

 possessing in a high degree the spirit of patriotism, 

 fidelity, obedience, courage, and sympathy, were always 

 ready to give aid to each other and to sacrifice them- 

 selves 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 sup- 

 planted other tribes ; and as morality is one element 

 in their success, the standard of morality and the num- 

 ber of well-endowed men will thus everywhere tend to 

 rise and increase. 



It is, however, very difficult to form any judgment why 

 one particular tribe and not another has been successful 

 and has risen in the scale of civilisation. Many savages 

 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 



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

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



