508 EVOLUTION OF MODERN SOCIETY. 



It is the history of that meutal constitiitiou in its development that 

 we propose here to trace iu its general aspects. That history is the 

 story of the evolution of society. 



To trace the evolution of society is to trace the growth of mind sub- 

 sequently to the evolution of the individual. Our task, however, is 

 somewhat easier than it has been in the earlier stages of our inquiry. 

 We have larger facts and stronger evidences, M'hile the periods of tune 

 to be considered are infinitely more adapted to the grasp of the ordi- 

 nary mind. Instead of dealing with thousands and tens of thousands 

 of years, as ciphers, we work with centuries and decades. We employ 

 analysis, synthesis, and criticism; but our materials are larger. We 

 do not require such minute analysis, such exact synthesis, or such crit- 

 ical discrimination as were necessary in earlier investigation. 



Society, as we shall use the term here, must be understood in its 

 widest significance — that aggregation of bodies of individuals, which 

 bodies in themselves constitute a "society" (in a secondary sense), a 

 "polity,'' or a "state." Each of those secondary societies or states, 

 which go to form the widest conception of society as a whole, are, in 

 our enlarged subject, as the individual is to the commuinty in which 

 he is placed. We said that the individual was the highest poiu t reached 

 in the evolution of organism. Society as a whole is the highest point 

 attained in the evolution of the individual, which is merely a further 

 stage in the evolution of mind. 



Dr. II. D. Traill, whose name must be familiar to all in the field of 

 intellectual investigation, says: "Every civilized society is in the 

 nature of an organism, the shape and direction of whose evolution 

 depends in part upon the action of internal forces and iu part upon 

 the influence of surroundings." The fundamental principles of evolu- 

 tion—" struggle for existence, adaptation to environment, survival of 

 the fittest"— all apply here, just as to the individual animal life. 



The study of evolution in all its branches is the study of history; 

 but history of different kinds. The study of the evolution of society 

 is history in its highest and truest sense. It is the study of man in his 

 advance from barbarism to civilization, from civilization to culture, and 

 of the principles and institutions which have aided his upward march 

 and developed his present character. In it we read the story of prog- 

 ress. We see it, to use the common but appropriate metaphor, like a 

 little spring, bubbling up from the rocky soil, ever in danger of being 

 dried up. It moves on — a tiny rivulet — whispering and gurgling, yet 

 ever enlarging as it goes. The rivulet becomes a stream; the opposing 

 pebbles become great stones; the stream grows to a river, a great vol- 

 ume of water, deep, strong, and irresistible, cutting out channels for 

 Itself, overcoming all obstacles, leaping, circling, and falling, till, as 

 Kingsley puts it — 



Strong and free, strong and free, 

 The flood-gates are open ; 

 Away to the sea, 



