258 SOCIAL HEREDITY AND SOCIAL EVOLUTION 



such decisions are sure to be called again in ques- 

 tion. We sometimes say that '^nothing is settled 

 until it is settled right," and this phrase expresses 

 a mighty truth. When settled right it is settled 

 to benefit the people instead of the rulers, the 

 many rather than the few ; and if settled in any other 

 way, the question is absolutely certain to come up 

 again for readjustment. All this is altruism. Noth- 

 ing is clearer than that the victories won by force 

 can in the end be maintained only when upheld by 

 the wide sympathy of mankind which leads to the 

 insistence that all individuals shall have equal jus- 

 tice. Permanent advances are made hy altruism, 

 never by force. Force controlled by greed may take 

 initial steps, but unless love comes to its support the 

 structure built by force is sure to fall. Might makes 

 right for a while, but not permanently. Nothing can 

 be clearer to one looking over the pages of history 

 than that here lies the secret of the rise and fall of 

 nations. A nation may be built by might and remain 

 a unit so long as the uniting bond of mutual sym- 

 pathy and love remains in force. But when this unit- 

 ing bond is loosened, either by the luxury of the 

 wealthy, the corruption of officials, or the profligacy 

 of the poor, the nation becomes dissolved. We can 

 count upon a nation acting as a unit only so far and 

 so long as its members are bound together by mutual 

 sympathy and confidence. 



The progress of civilization has been a see-saw. 

 At one time egoism and at another altruism comes 

 to the front. Egoism is, however, always the quicker 

 in its action. Every man sees his own interests first, 

 and every nation sees first its own glory. Altruism 

 is more like a subcurrent, flowing quietly and only 



