146 THE PSYCHICAL KINSHIP 



III. The Common-sense View. 



But it is not necessary to be learned in 

 Darwinian science in order to know that non- 

 human beings have souls. Just the ordinary 

 observation of them in their daily lives about us 

 in their comings and goings and doings is 

 sufficient to convince any person of discernment 

 that they are beings with joys and sorrows, desires 

 and capabilities, similar to our own. No human 

 being with a conscientious desire to learn the 

 truth can associate intimately day after day with 

 these people associate with them as he himself 

 would desire to be associated with in order to 

 be interpreted, without presumption or reserve, 

 in a kind, honest, straightforward, magnanimous 

 manner; make them his friends and really enter 

 into their inmost lives without realising that 

 they are almost unknown by human beings, that 

 they are constantly and criminally misunderstood, 

 and that they are in reality beings actuated by 

 substantially the same impulses and terrorised by 

 approximately the same experiences as we our- 

 selves. They eat and sleep, seek pleasure and try 

 to avoid pain, cling valorously to life, experience 

 health and disease, get seasick, suffer hunger and 

 thirst, co-operate with each other, build homes, 

 reproduce themselves, love and provide for their 

 children, feeding, defending, and educating them, 

 contend against enemies, contract habits, remem- 

 ber and forget, learn from experience, have friends 

 and favourites and pastimes, appreciate kindness, 



