xli PREFACE 



their ideals. They who are unfitted will perish as certainly as did 

 the dinosaur or the mastodon, regardless of their apparent bigness 

 or assumed attractiveness. It will be well with any people which 

 undergoes this mental revolution early, and begins first to study 

 how it may adjust itself, its moral practices, its social ideals, 

 to the hard conditions of universal law. To do so is to prove 

 itself to be the superior race or chosen people. To refuse to do 

 so is to elect extermination rather than survival, death rather 

 than life. 



Dr. Bristol has done a notable service in tracing the develop- 

 ment of this concept of social evolution or progress. From the 

 formidable Hst of authorities quoted, and the volume of his quo- 

 tations and citations, it is apparent that this topic has received 

 large attention from students of social life. This laborious com- 

 pilation together with Dr. Bristol's keen analysis and criticism 

 will go far toward making clear a subject which has hitherto 

 been obscure. 



T. N. Carver. 



