176 THE STORY OF ANIMAL LIFE 



wanted some big patch 'of vivid colour, perfectly 

 inappropriate to the climate and surroundings. 

 Some exotic plant was needed, in their opinion, 

 to give a touch of brightness. The harmony of 

 colour and beauty of form in our native plants, 

 and in the common flowers of cottage gardens, 

 were imperceptible to their unobservant eyes. 

 Their intelligence was on a level with that of the 

 savage, who is impressed by new and striking 

 objects, and delighted by gaudy colours, but 

 finds no beauty in wild nature or in accustomed 

 things. These people were typical specimens of 

 the degenerate of the book-reading classes ; dull 

 of understanding and wanting in taste, as the 

 result of mental overwork in several successive 

 generations ; immeasurably inferior in aesthetic 

 capabilities to the untaught peasants and fisher- 

 men of the district they would fain enlighten 

 for these appreciate the beauty of their country, 

 and love its flowers. 



Much might be added regarding atavistic de- 

 generacy, as an explanation of the mental and 

 moral defects of human beings. Its most fre- 

 quent form, perhaps, is that of mere laziness. 

 The Ape does not work ; nor does the savage, if he 

 can possibly help it. Civilised man, if thoroughly 

 sound in mind and body, likes activity, and activ- 

 ity with a purpose. The poor man takes a pride 

 in his labour ; the rich man takes a pride in his 

 skill in games, his learning, or his efforts to 

 benefit others. The idler, disinclined for either 

 hearty work or hearty play, is a Degenerate. Of 

 late there has been much discussion of a plan for 

 treating the confirmed idler as a criminal. It will 

 be seen from the remarks made above, that there 

 are equally good reasons for treating him as an 



