236 GENERAL EVOLUTION. 



What the future has in store for us in the history of inorganic 

 force and its results we can not now foresee, but I call attention 

 in this connection to the important part played by life in the dis- 

 tribution of minerals. It has long been known that the carbon of 

 the earth's crust was once in a living state, and it is admitted that 

 the limestone once circulated in the fluids of animals. We have 

 recently been compelled to believe that siliceous rocks are com- 

 posed of the consolidated shells of minute plants, which they have 

 elaborated from the water of the ocean. Silver and gold are seg- 

 regated and deposited by seaweeds. The principal rock material, 

 whose relation to life has not been ascertained, is alumina. How 

 far the processes which now characterize dead matter were once 

 related to life is a problem for the future. 



IV. THE MORALS OF EVOLUTION. 



The doctrines of the struggle for existence and survival of the 

 fit in human life have a two-fold application. The relative pro- 

 portions in which these applications are made will depend on tlie 

 moral development of him who makes them. Moral density and 

 intellectual stupidity (often nearly allied) will see in these two 

 laws only the struggle for material power, and the survival of tlie 

 strongest. They will hardly urge in these days, as they would 

 infallibly have done had they lived a few centuries ago, that the 

 strongest means the hardest hitter, or the most successful assassin, 

 but they will probably believe that this pre-eminent position be- 

 longs to the most wealthy. From a purely dynamical standpoint 

 this position is correct, yet it might be a useful question for such 

 advocates to consider why it is that physical oj)pression and assas- 

 sination should be less successful avenues to power than they once 

 were. 



There are two reasons why man does not grant the first place 

 in his esteem to physical force. The first principles of morals are 

 acquired in the struggle for existence. The idea of meum and 

 fuu7n was speedily developed so soon as men associated together ; 

 and the habit of justice has doubtless been formed by the insist- 

 ence of every man on his own rights, and by the power of combi- 

 nations of men to control those who may from superior strength 

 or other cause seek to violate the rights of property. Thus law 

 originated, and from the earliest history of the race to the present 

 day it has educated the barbarous and semi-barbarous to civiliza- 

 tion. It is then easy to perceive that man gives the highest place 



