DARWIN ON THE ORIGIN OF CONSCIENCE. 137 



6. According to Darwin's theory, pain comes to 

 conscience only when some persistent instinct is left 

 unsatisfied, and therefore the essence of all conscien- 

 tious action is simply the pleasurable. In natures 

 badly organized, the vicious is often demanded by the 

 most persistent instincts. The vicious, therefore, in 

 these natures, is the conscientious in Darwin's sense ; 

 but this reduces the theory to absurdity. 



7. It follows from Darwin's definition, that the 

 pleasurable, on the whole, is that winch conscience 

 justifies. Darwin's theory makes no adequate dis- 

 tinction between the pleasurable, which is always 

 only the optional, and the dutiful, which is always 

 the imperative ; it does not explain the commanding 

 force of the word " ought ; " it does not account for 

 the axiom, '■'-Fiat justitia mat ccelum" let justice be 

 done, though the heavens fall. 



8. Darwin himself concedes that his chief source 

 of doubt with respect to his own theory of con- 

 science is that senseless customs, superstitions and 

 tastes, such as the horror of the Hindoo for unclean 

 food, ought, on his principle, to be transmitted, and 

 they are not. 



One rule of science is to look into the misty places, 

 which a theory will not explain, for new light. 

 Wherever there are unexplored remainders we are 

 likely to find new truths. Now, Darwin confesses 

 that this vast range of senseless customs, supersti- 

 tions and tastes, is not under the law of inheritance, 

 and ought to be if his theory is correct. What if a 

 man has been made so much better than a clod, that 



