Civilisation : Its Cause and Cure 



long — there is a rudimentary eye. To-day we 

 use our perfected eyes, and are hardly conscious 

 that we are doing so ; but every power of vision 

 that we have was thus won for us by some lowUer 

 creature, step by step, with effort and with con- 

 centration. Or to take an illustration from society. 

 To-day society is ill at ease ; a dim feeling of 

 discontent pervades all ranks and classes. A new 

 sense of justice, of fraternity, has descended 

 among us, which is not satisfied with mere chatter 

 of demand and supply. For a long time this new 

 sentiment or desire remains vague and unformed, 

 but at last it resolves itself into shape ; it takes 

 intellectual form, books are written, plans formed ; 

 then after a time definite new organisations, for 

 the "distinct purpose of expressing these ideas, 

 begin to exist in the body of the old society ; and 

 before so very long the whole outer structure of 

 society will have been reorganised by them. After 

 a few centuries the ideas for whose realisation 

 we now fight and struggle with an intense con- 

 sciousness will have become commonplace, accepted 

 institutions, more or less effete and ready to 

 succumb before fresh mental births taking place 

 from within. 



The modern evolution theory would maintain 

 that among many amoebas and descendant forms, 

 one would at last by chance be born having the 

 usual sensitiveness localised in a particular spot, 

 and, surviving by force of this advantage, would 

 transmit this " eye " to its posterity ; or that in 

 the progress of society, new economic conditions 



194 



