PSYCHOLOGICAL AND ETHICAL ASPECTS. 



259 



and relatives; and lastly, the occurrence of animal varieties wider than 

 the family, — mark important steps in the evolution of both egoism and 

 altruism. 



The diagram sums up the important facts. There are two diver- 

 gent lines of emotional and practical activity, — hunger, self-regarding, 

 egoism, on the one hand; love, other-regarding, altruism, on the other. 

 These find a basal unity in the primitively close association between 

 hunger and love, between nutritive and reproductive needs. Each 

 plane of ascent marks a widening and ennobling of the activities; but 

 each has its corresponding bathos, when either side unduly prepon- 

 derates over the other. The actual path of progress is represented by 

 action and reaction between the two complementary functions, the 

 minelinef becoming more and more intricate. Sexual attraction ceases 

 to be wholly selfish; hunger may be overcome by love; love of mates 

 is enhanced by love for offspring; love for offspring broadens out into 

 love of kind. Finally, the ideal before us is a more harmonious blend- 

 ing of the two streams. 



