318 EVOLUTION AND MAN S PLACE IN NATURE 



freedom. Our life does not quickly clear itself from 

 such analogies as military conflict supplies. As is the 

 contrast between allurements to evil, and attraction 

 towards the good ; so is the contrast between victory 

 in strife, and quiet achievements in the silent progress 

 of a life which is moving with accelerated force 

 towards maturity. 



Within such brief compass as this, must be in 

 cluded our treatment of the darker side of human life. 

 Degeneration, as it appears in the life of man, is the 

 worst to be witnessed on the earth ; it is altogether 

 singular in its character and depth ; and it is apparent 

 everywhere in the world, nowhere more distressingly 

 than in the heart of modern civilisation. Yet, this 

 degeneration does not conceal, does not even obscure, 

 the characteristics of the rational life ; but, in a quite 

 vivid and striking way, supplies its own quota of 

 evidence for the distinction between the life of organ 

 ism, and the life of the moral agent. 



After this discussion of degeneration, we resume 

 consideration of the normal activity of rational life, 

 as this appears in the ordinary guidance of conduct by 

 ethical thought. The contrast between animal life 

 and human becomes increasingly conspicuous as we 

 proceed. The search of the animal is for his food. 

 This is the full meaning of the struggle for existence, 

 as illustrated in organic evolution. The work of man 

 only begins with hunger s craving. So it must begin, 

 however, for it is for man, as for the beast of the field, 

 a stern necessity that the demands of the physical life 

 be met. So pressing are these, that we are apt to 

 speak of them as the demands of Nature. From en 

 counter with these, there is no escape. But the work 



