828 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



pected with further evolution to become habitual and strong ; and 

 what now characterizes the exceptionally high may be expected event- 

 ually to characterize all. For that which the best human nature is 

 capable of is within the reach of human nature at large." 



" That these conclusions," Mr. Spencer goes on to say, " will meet 

 with any considerable acceptance is improbable. Neither with current 

 ideas nor with current sentiments are they sufficiently congruous. Such 

 a view will not be agreeable to those who lament the spreading dis- 

 belief in eternal damnation ; nor to those who follow the apostle of 

 brute force in thinking that because the rule of the strong hand was 

 once good it is good for all time ; nor to those whose reverence for 

 one who told them to put up the sword is shown by using the sword to 

 spread his doctrine among heathens." From ten thousand teachers of 

 a religion of love who are silent when a nation is moved by the religion 

 of hate will come no sign of assent ; nor from those priestly lawgivers 

 who, " far from urging the extreme precept of the Master they pretend 

 to follow, to turn the other cheek when one is smitten, vote for acting 

 on the principle. Strike lest ye be struck. Nor will any approval be 

 felt by legislators who, after praying to be forgiven their trespasses 

 as they forgive the trespasses of others, forthwith decide to attack those 

 who have not trespassed against them. But though men who profess 

 Christianity and practice Paganism can feel no sympathy with such a 

 view, there are some, classed as antagonists to the current creed, who 

 may not think it absurd to believe that a rationalized version of its 

 ethical principles will eventually be acted upon." 



Finally, I would ask those who have followed me thus far to note 

 how all the duties we have considered, both egoistic duties and altru- 

 istic ones, may be seen with advantage from a different point of view 

 and in a changed aspect, though unchanged in reality. We are in 

 the habit of regarding the study of moral laws always from the per- 

 sonal side, and nearly all teachers in such matters (one might almost 

 say all) view the subject in this way, since, even when laying down a 

 code of morals, they present each law as it appeals to the reason and 

 should affect the conduct of the individual. But it should be remem- 

 bered that a moral law which commends to each man a particular line 

 of conduct, is a law which, if accepted and followed by all, influences 

 each man by the effect it produces on all the rest. Thus, a rule of 

 conduct seemingly egoistic, and really egoistic as affecting the indi- 

 vidual, becomes, in any society which accepts and obeys it, purely 

 altruistic in its effect ; while, per contra^ a law seemingly altruistic 

 in terms becomes purely egoistic in influence. If, instead of indicating 

 a due regard for self and a proper subordination of self to others, our 

 study of the morality of happiness had indicated as best for the com- 

 munity a series of duties directed solely to the benefit of self, yet the 

 adoption of such a moral code by all men would be altogether unself- 

 ish, seeing that it would mean the forsaking of all right or title to 



