Teachings of Thomas Huxley 69 



Starvation implies either a lack of initiative, 

 or physical incapacity to earn a living. We 

 have still vast areas of tillable and fruitful 

 soil which may be had almost for the effort 

 of settling upon them, but which are still lying 

 idle because the poor in our great cities either 

 do not know of the opportunity or are loath 

 to leave city life in spite of its squalor. The 

 physically incapable must, of course, in many 

 instances become the recipients of charity. So 

 long as philanthropy exists they are in less 

 danger of starvation than any other class. 



We see, therefore, that the struggle for ex- 

 istence is a very useful means of accomplish- 

 ing a very useful end ; for were it not absolutely 

 imperative that man earn his bread by the 

 sweat of his brow human progress would cease, 

 and the fabric of civilization would decay until 

 the barbaric state were again arrived at. Says 

 Huxley: "So long as natural man increases 

 and multiplies without restraint, so long will 

 peace and industry not only permit, but they 

 will necessitate, a struggle for existence as 

 sharp as any that ever went on under the 

 regime of war." So far as excessive procrea- 

 tion is concerned one need have no fear but 

 that disease and death will adjust population 

 quite in accordance with the means of subsist- 

 ence. Among the poor they have been, and 

 doubtless always will be, the chief means of 

 bringing about such an adjustment. 



