'IJIE A^'GLO-SAXOK AND THE WORLD-S FUTURE. 217 



oped ill this country. "The history of the world's 

 progress from savagery to barbarism, from barbarism 

 to civihzation, and, in civiUzation, from the lower de 

 grees toward the higher, is the history of increase in 

 average longevity, ^ corresponding to, and accompanied 

 by, increase of nervousness. Mankind has grown to be 

 at once more delicate and more enduring, more sensitive 

 to weariness and yet more patient of toil, impressible, 

 but capable of bearing powerful irritation ; we are 

 woven of finer fiber, which, though apparently frail, yet 

 outlasts the coarser, as rich and costlj^ garments often- 

 times wear better than those of rougher workmanship. "^ 

 The roots of civilization are the nerves; and other 

 things being equal, the finest nervous organization will 

 produce the highest civilization. Heretofore, war has 

 been almost the chief occupation of strong races. The 

 mission of the Anglo-Saxon has been largely that of 

 the soldier; but the world is making progress, we are 

 leaving behind the barbarism of war; as civilization 

 advances, it Avill learn less of war, and concern itself 

 more with the arts of peace, and for these the massive 

 battle-ax must be wrought into tools of finer temper. 

 The physical changes accompanied by mental, which 

 are taking place in the people of the United States are 

 apparently to adapt men to the demands of a higher 

 civilization. But the objection is here interposed that 

 the "physical degeneracy of America" is inconsist- 

 ent with the supposition of our advancing to a higher 

 civilization. Professor Huxley, when at Buffalo he 

 addressed the American Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science, said he had heard of the degeneration 

 of the original x4merican stock, but during his visit to 

 the states he had failed to perceive it. We are not, 

 hoAvever, in this matter, dependent on the opinion of 



1 "It is ascertained that the average measure of human life, in this coun- 

 try, has been steadily increasing dui-ing this century, and is now considerably 

 longer than in any other country.'" Dorchester's Problem of Religious 

 Progress, p. 288. 



2 Beard's American Nervousness, p. 287. 



