RATIONAL LIFE 303 



illustrates the difference. He speaks directly to our 

 rational nature. He assumes a special power within 

 us, implying a marked contrast in the aspects of 

 natural law. That he emphasises this contrast, it is 

 not possible to claim ; but what is said is admirably 

 said, and so concisely, as exactly to serve our purpose 

 here. It is possible for us just as the ascidian 

 throws away its tail and its eye, and sinks into a 

 quiescent state of inferiority to reject the good gift 

 of reason with which every child is born, and to 

 degenerate into a contented life of material enjoyment, 

 accompanied by ignorance and superstition/ 1 The 

 language is in every part expressive ; the analogy is 

 a failure. It is, indeed, possible for degeneration to 

 happen in the life of man, as it is possible for the 

 larvial ascidian to lose his tail. But the analogy is so 

 faulty that the illustration gives vividness to the 

 contrast of the animal and the rational life. The tail 

 is not to the tadpole what the good gift of reason is 

 to man. When the tadpole drops his tail, he can 

 not resume it, or have its guiding help more ; when 

 man rejects the good gift, he does not drop it ; he 

 continues to use it in some manner ; and, though it is 

 either in abeyance, or is greatly misdirected, he can 

 resume its larger use, realising that the power is still 

 a part of himself, is indeed his better-self, so that 

 when he reforms, and begins to act more rationally, we 

 say he has come to himself. We can wish no better 

 proof of the contrast between man and animal than 

 science offers here. 



When we reason with our fellows, or with our 

 selves, against yielding to degeneration, our words show 

 1 Advancement of Science, p. 49. 



