138 THE DESCENT OF MAN. 



experience of what is best in the long run for all the mem- 

 bers; but this judgment will not rarely err from ignorance 

 and weak powers of reasoning. Hence the strangest cus- 

 toms and superstitions, in complete opposition to tne true 

 welfare and happiness of mankind, have become all-power- 

 ful throughout the world. We see this in the horror felt 

 by a Hindoo who breaks his caste, and in many O'^her such 

 cases. It would be difficult to distinguish between the 

 remorse felt by a Hindoo who has yielded to the tempta- 

 tion of eating unclean food from that felt after committing 

 a theft; but the former would probably be the more severe. 



How so many absurd rules of conduct, as well as so 

 many absurd religious beliefs, have originated, we do not 

 know; nor how it is that they have become, in all quarters 

 of the world, so deeply impressed on the minds of men; 

 but it is worthy of remark that a belief constantly incul- 

 cated during the early years of life, while the brain is im^ 

 pressible, appears to acquire almost the nature of an 

 instinct; and the very essence of an instinct is that it is 

 followed independently of reason. Neither can we say wny 

 certain admirable virtues, such as the love of truth, art 

 much more highly appreciated by some savage tribes than 

 by others;* nor, again, why similar differences prevail even 

 among highly civilized nations. Knowing how firmly 

 fixed many strange customs and superstitions have become, 

 we need feel no surprise that the self-regarding virtues, 

 supported as they are by reason, should now appear to us 

 so natural as to be thought innate, although they were not 

 valued by man in his early condition. 



Notwithstanding many sources of doubt, man can gener- 

 ally and readily distinguish between the higher and lower 

 moral rules. The higher are founded on the social 

 instincts, and relate to the welfare of others. They are 

 supported by the approbation of our fellow-men and by 

 reason. The lower rules, though some of them when im- 

 plying self-sacrifice hardly deserve to be called lower, relate 

 chiefly to self, and arise from public opinion, matured by 

 [experience and cultivation; for they are not practiced by 

 jrude tribes. 



As man advances in civilization, and small tribes are 



*Good instances are given by Mr, Wallace in " Scientific Opinion," 

 Sept. 15, 1869; and more fully in his "Contributions to the Theory 

 of Natural Selection," 1870, p. 353. 



