98 ETHICAL ASPECTS OF EVOLUTION 



and the higher values which determine the degree of esteem 

 in which a man is held by his fellows. Of the first, the 

 interest does not extend beyond the agent himself. No 

 man gains the admiration of society by a successful pursuit 

 of pleasure, nor is his name on that account handed down 

 by history. 



The higher, or what may be called objective values, and 

 especially those of self-repression and humility, are often 

 rated more highly by onlookers than by the agent himself. 

 They are not confined to any one department of our nature. 

 Thus they are not always identical with moral values ; of 

 many of them the conscience takes no cognizance. Great 

 wealth, great power, intellectual and artistic genius, are held 

 by all men in high esteem ; their powers are respected and 

 envied ; but to say that we are all bound in duty to have 

 the genius of Shakespeare would be as absurd as to deny its 

 title to respect. Moral achievement is perhaps rated above 

 all others, but it is only one kind among many. What, then, 

 determines values ? or rather, what determines their order 

 of precedence in the general estimation of mankind ? 



The principle which first suggests itself as the main 

 determinant in all the higher objective values is greatness ; 

 and it becomes necessary to inquire what is meant by this 

 term. We may commence with a quotation from Kant s 

 Critique of Judgement (Dr. Bernard s translation, p. 108) : 



It is remarkable that though we have no interest whatever 

 in a subject, i.e. its existence is indifferent to us, yet its mere 

 size, even if it is considered as formless, may bring a satis 

 faction with it that is universally communicable. 



It is common to all men to admire everything which is 

 great in its kind. The feeling is inspired by external nature, 

 and is quite distinct from aesthetic appreciation. Travellers 

 who see no beauty in mountain scenery have rarely failed 

 to be impressed by its grandeur or sublimity. In ourselves 

 we admire great physical strength and skill, however they 

 may be employed, and do not admire weakness, or want of 

 skill ; great swiftness of foot, and not slowness. The feelings 

 thus excited by our physical qualities are excited in a much 



