THE RELIGION OF NATURE 



been introduced into the scheme of nature as an 

 " improvement." 



But we have seen that (except in the case of 

 human civilization) it would have been a drawback, 

 and not an improvement. Therefore it could not 

 have been introduced at all. The first animals 

 to exhibit it would have been handicapped in the 

 hard struggle of natural existence, and would have 

 become extinct. They would have been too " soft." 



With civilized man the case is entirely different. 

 He has raised himself above the natural struggle 

 of existence and moves on a higher plane, where 

 the conscious personal effort to distinguish be- 

 tween good and evil and to win happiness by earn- 

 ing it, is the sole means by which he rises. For 

 him, therefore, the constant spur of suffering and 

 discontent has been extremely useful. He is never 

 happy or even contented for long. He must al- 

 ways be striving to improve his lot and to secure 

 the happiness which seems just beyond his reach. 



Thus the races of civilized men, have traveled 

 far upon an upward road on which no other kind 

 of animal has entered. And, as is always the rule 

 in nature, the higher we go the swifter becomes 

 our progress, and the more keenly we feel the in- 

 centives which spur us on. 



Sometimes in the stress of our complicated exis- 

 tence and the turmoil of civilization we are in- 

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