FIRES AND THEIR CAUSES. 653 



has in deciding as to what is right and what is wrong. A lawyer may 

 have pronounced upon certain common points of law so frequently that 

 when a case is presented he does not stop to think, but gives answer 

 immediately, yet one would not say that he acts intuitively. So in 

 what might be called the grosser matters of morals the judgment is able 

 to act quickly from frequent exercise, but, when it comes to the nicer 

 distinctions of ethics, so far from acting intuitively or quickly, the mind 

 is often in long and painful doubt. To tell the truth seems to be a 

 plain duty, yet who would dare to condemn Sister Surplice's lie in 

 defense of poor Jean Valjean ? " Thou shalt not steal " is human and 

 divine law, but shall a man starve rather than take a loaf of bread that 

 does not belong to him ? When does manslaughter in self-defense 

 become justifiable ? The relative duties to God, to self, and society, to 

 family and friendship, require much weighing of motive, and evidence, 

 and interests, which, so far from being settled intuitively, call for the 

 most careful exercise of judgment. 



The limits of time and space forbid a further discussion of this sub- 

 ject beyond the following summary of conclusions : 



1. That examination of minds nearest to primitive conditions 

 shows that there is an utter absence of moral feeling, and that there- 

 fore conscience is not a congenital faculty. 



2. That the idea of duty is an abstraction, which comes with con- 

 siderable development of mind and a power of generalization of which 

 the lower races are not capable. 



3. That what is called " conscience " is simply an act of judgment 

 and reason. 



4. That the decisions of conscience depend upon the education of 

 die individual ; and — 



5. That therefore conscience, even among intellectually developed 

 races, is not an infallible guide, but must itself be guided by a written 

 law. 



-♦♦♦- 



FIRES AND THEIR CAUSES. 



THE oft-repeated words, " Cause unknown," appended to the daily 

 reports of the conflagrations which occur all over the country, 

 furnish matter for grave reflection. A glance at the report of one of 

 the largest fire brigades will show us that the causes (when ascertained) 

 are of the most varied description. It appears that the candle is the 

 most destructive weapon to be found in an ordinary household, for con- 

 flagrations lighted by its help far outnumber those credited to any 

 other cause. Curtains come next on the black list. The next large 

 figures are given to " Spark from fire," followed by " Foul flues." 

 Next in order may be noticed " Gas," " Children playing with fire," 



