Biological Point of View 13 



idealism, but because in their situation robbery 

 had not appeared to afford a good business 

 opening. Their rash faith in the kindly inten- 

 tions of Providence was punished by repeated 

 raids on the part of the horsemen from the 

 distant plains, who dashed upon the weaklings 

 and plundered at will, murdering the men, en- 

 slaving the women, and seizing the property as 

 a war indemnity. But the decisive step in the 

 evolution of the larger organization of society 

 was not reached until the conquerors became 

 tired of the heavy work of carting off the plun- 

 der ana began to settle among the conquered. 

 In this act the foundation was laid of national 

 organization as it is known to history. The 

 conquerors, installed as the primitive aristoc- 

 racy, lived in fortified homes with their retinue 

 of warlike followers, where they enjoyed a 

 rude luxury based upon the tolls collected from 

 the serfs. In many an unsuccessful struggle 

 the serfs attempted to regain their freedom, 

 but eventually they became broken in to the 

 yoke. At last they even acquiesced in the situ- 

 ation, for, though they were obliged to pay as 

 tribute all the results of their labor above what 

 was absolutely necessary to keep them alive, 

 yet they were at least protected from other 



