654 Causes and Course of Organic Evolution 



dividual, up to the most centralized governmental bureau, 

 did much to place morals on a scientific basis. His ruling 

 idea and trite phrase was Priestley's ''greatest happiness of 

 the greatest number," that undoubtedly has a large bio-socio- 

 logical warrant. But, if for "happiness" the word "satisfac- 

 tion" be substituted, we would regard the phrase as more 

 exact. 



Bentham's friend and literary successor, James Mill, still 

 further extended the principles of both, and, in showing the 

 bearing of the utilitarian — or we should now strictly call it 

 the evolutionary — origin of morals on every department of 

 human life, he deserves a high place in human regard. 



Such views were long ridiculed, even denounced, by many 

 theologians, often for very selfish reasons. But they are now 

 felt to be in strict accord with the recent growth of moral 

 sentiment on various subjects, every stage of which growth 

 man has himself watched and can explain. But, further, the 

 view was once widely proclaimed that morality was an intrinsic 

 and intuitive possession of the human intellect, which in the 

 sum-total of its interactions originated conscience. Thus Price 

 (206: 63) expresses it, "Morality is eternal and immutable. 

 Right and wrong, it appears, denote what actions are. Now 

 whatever anything is, that it is, not by will, or decree, or power, 

 but by nature and necessity." The logic of this may sound 

 perfect; the historical accuracy is wholly lacking. Somewhat 

 along this line also Emerson says: "The final solution in which 

 skepticism is lost is in the moral sentiment, which never for- 

 feits its supremacy. All moods may be safely tried, and their 

 weight allowed to all objections; the moral sentiment as easily 

 outweighs them all as any one." This often is true of higher 

 grades of civilized man, but is absolutely inapplicable to the 

 ruder savages of recent or even of present days. 



In contrast to the above from Price and Emerson, Burton, 

 the African traveler, says: "It is time to face the fact that 

 conscience is a purely geographical and chronological accident. 

 Where, may we ask, can be that innate and universal monitor 

 in the case of a people — the Somali, for instance — who rob 



