REPRODUCTION AND SEX 547 



gluttony or intemperance, thus lowering individuality; and the 

 normal reproductive life may deteriorate to mere sexual sensuality, 

 with debasement further. So mateship may be degraded; next 

 family neglected; and wider relations lapsed from, and those per- 

 verted even to treasons to the highest causes above. In short, then, 

 we have here, in briefest outline, a veritable section through the 

 deepening circles of the Inferno; and these essentially as Dante 

 depicted them. His direct answer to his simple questioners of — 

 "How came you to see hell?" — "In the city around me!" — was thus 

 what we again too often see aroimd us to-day. Yet so, and more 

 happily, does not our ascending ladder recall that of Jacob's youthful 

 vision, of his coming patriarchate; and with its "ascending and 

 descending angels" as the ideals, both immanent and transcendent, 

 of his coming family, with their resulting tribes, rising to nation, 

 and this to its culmination towards the highest. 



A kindred orderly line of interpretation of organic and human 

 sexes in their development-phases (with possible deteriorations also) 

 is that outlined upon the Olympian Circle (page 570). Similarly the 

 more general Theory of Life (Chapter xiii) logically develops into a 

 presentment of the Muses as normal to life's evolution; yet also with 

 their possible deterioration, even to perversion and possession by 

 the Furies. All the classic mythologies we can look into have thus 

 in their various ways broadly and vitally anticipated our evolution- 

 ary science; and we may thus use and adapt their vivid imagery 

 anew. 



Illustrations might here be amplified of how biologic studies 

 disclose anew the old evolutionary ways from life's beginnings with 

 hunger and struggle, to ideals, and towards the highest; and also 

 of how they aid our understanding of the degenerations and 

 perversions of the norms of life. 



PARENTAL CARE 



It is a conspicuous fact of life that many animals look after their 

 offspring in a very effective way, — often expending much time and 

 energy in securing their welfare. Unless we are willing to leave much 

 of this parental care unintelligible, we must credit many of the higher 

 animals with genuine parental feeling. When the young ones remain 

 for a considerable time with the mother, or with both parents, 

 receiving nurture and protection and a great deal of attention, there 

 seems to be an undeniable evocation of parental emotion. Unless 

 there is some illusion, the parent enjoys having its young one as 

 a companion; it watches it with evident pleasure in its eyes, cer- 

 tainly with great interest, if not with pride; it defends it with 

 courage and in spite of wounds — at the risk of its life, we might say. 



