142 COMTE TO BENJAMIN KIDD PART in 



transformed by the advent of reason. Even in the 

 animal world, presumably, pain is outweighed by 

 pleasure, Huxley himself being witness. In man, how- 

 ever, pain assumes a new meaning. It becomes an 

 element in moral development. How then can the 

 presence of pain brand the cosmos as evil ? The 

 kindred charge, that struggle is altogether evil from 

 the moral point of view, will come before us again in 

 the next and subsequent chapters ; we trust there are 

 reasons for repelling that charge also. Lastly, we 

 observe that a more intelligent conception of reason 

 corrects Huxley's position as to the supremacy of man. 

 Mastery of the animals is natural to mankind. It is no 

 mere accident, due to man's share in the cruel cosmic 

 struggle. It is man's right. It forms part of his 

 equipment for that which lies before him, the moral 

 struggle to which the cosmic struggle gives place, the 

 moral advance and moral achievement which are to 

 crown the long and strange story of this earth. 



