Chap. V. Civilised Nations. 143 



demands many favourable concurrent circumstances ; but it may 

 well be doubted whether the most favourable would have sufficed, 

 had not the rate of increase been rapid, and the consequent 

 struggle for existence extremely severe. It even appears from 

 what we see, for instance, in parts of S. America, that a people 

 which may be called civilised, such as the Spanish settlers, is 

 liable to become indolent and to retrograde, when the con- 

 ditions of life are very easy. With highly civilised nations con- 

 tinued progress depends in a subordinate degree on natural 

 selection ; for such nations do not supplant and exterminate one 

 another as do savage tribes. Nevertheless the more intelligent 

 members within the same community will succeed better in the 

 long run than the inferior, and leave a more numerous progeny, 

 and this is a form of natural selection. The more efficient 

 causes of progress seem to consist of a good education during 

 youth whilst the brain is impressible, and of a high standard of 

 excellence, inculcated by the ablest and best men, embodied in 

 the laws, customs and traditions of the nation, and enforced by 

 public opinion. It should, however, be borne in mind, that the 

 enforcement of public opinion depends on our appreciation of 

 the approbation and disapprobation of others ; and this apprecia- 

 tion is founded on our sympathy, which it can hardly be doubted 

 was originally developed through natural selection as one of the 

 most important elements of the social instincts. 31 



On the evidence that all civilised nations were once barbarous. — 

 The present subject has been treated in so full and admirable a 

 manner by Sir J. Lubbock, 32 Mr. Tylor, Mr. M'Lennan, and 

 others, that I need here give only the briefest summary of their 

 results. The arguments recently advanced by the Duke of 

 Argyll 33 and formerly by Archbishop Whately, in favour of the 

 belief that man came into the world as a civilised being, and 

 that all savages have since undergone degradation, seem to me 

 weak in comparison with those advanced on the other side. 

 Many nations, no doubt, have fallen away in civilisation, and 

 some may have lapsed into utter barbarism, though on this 

 latter head I have met with no evidence. The Fuegians were 

 probably compelled by other conquering hordes to settle in their 

 inhospitable country, and they may have become in consequence 

 somewhat more degraded; but it would be difficult to prove 



* l I am much indebted to Mr. 32 'On the Origin of Civilisation/ 



John Morley for some good cnti- ' Proc. Ethnological Soc' Nov. 26 



cisms on this subject: see, also, 1867. 



ISroca, ' Les Selections,' ' Revue d'An- 33 ' Primeval Man,' 18<>9. 

 thropologie,' 1872. 



