268 THE CONTROL OF LIFE 



Moreover, every one agrees that Animate Nature is 

 all for health. But beauty is in part an expression of 

 healthy harmonious living, and though all sorts of ex- 

 ceptions have to be made for man, some of these, like 

 the invalid's fine face, chiselled from within, prove the 

 rule. 



Again, for those who start fair, health is a subtle 

 index of goodness, while goodness makes for health. 



Yet again, what if truth-seeking is just the natural 

 activity of the active healthy mind ? What if lucidity, 

 beauty, health are all congruous — implying unified and 

 harmonious life such as Nature sanctions ? Thus con- 

 crete and abstract harmonise. Thus Man's progress, 

 which Huxley said must be against the cosmic process, 

 is really in a line with it. 



§ 5. Looking Forwards 

 We have been seeking after a definition of the con- 

 cept of progress, and we have not attempted to discuss 

 the factors (the initiatives, the sifting, and the holding 

 fast), or the various lines of progress (organismal, func- 

 tional, environmental, and social), or the shadows on 

 progress (especially of non-participation and non-per- 

 sistence). All these questions demand separate treat- 

 ment. We must notice, however, an addition to our 

 definition which seems to be demanded by the fact that 

 many who share in the struggle do not in any way share 

 in the victory, — ^take the men of Neanderthal, for in- 

 stance, our predecessors but not our ancestors. They 

 were on a human side-track. It is customary to try 



