BIOLOGY IN ITS WIDER ASPECTS 1367 



descent. Yes, but from their Small Powers, not their great; those 

 that developed not so far mechanically, but further vitally, and 

 in life's higher functionings. First of all by care of young, and this 

 through lengthening of infancy — in mammals especially, and in man 

 almost most — and thus with more brains, and these keeping on 

 growing and active, and so through lengthening life, and with 

 keener senses too. And so with more use of their limbs, as for better 

 locomotion, and greater speed. Handier use too of their paws and 

 digits, by and by hands and fingers; and with more use of their 

 eyes, sensitive noses, and even of their teeth, all so often put to 

 other uses besides fighting and killing. They grew, of course, but to 

 more moderate size; and so needed less food for upkeep, with rare 

 exceptions. And with all this, fuller life; and greatly advancing it, 

 the active body became warmer, with circulation more efficient, 

 and better regulated by a stronger and more developed heart, and 

 by finer vaso-motor adjustment. Preserving this warmth, their 

 epidermis grew hair-filaments- instead of scales; and in birds the 

 scales thrilled out into feathers, and grew to glories of paradise-bird 

 and peacock. And with all this developing beauty of birds and mam- 

 mals, came their new — and wholly post-reptilian — wonder-life, of 

 sex and courtship and song. And thence again to family life, in 

 homely nests, and nest-like homes. And thus to sociability for many 

 species, and this vital, intelligent, often joyous, beyond all solitary 

 life-forms. Next up to the sociability of man — which, beyond all 

 arrests, all reversions or perversions, is still advancing. Is it said, 

 this still at times is monstrous ? Yet despite all drawbacks or throw- 

 backs, our evolutionary science gives us fullest hopes; since life's 

 greatest pre-visions in the noblest past — as of Olympus and 

 Parnassus in one age, or of sanctity and chivalry in another, are 

 but ideals of body and mind at their best; and which thus neces- 

 sarily reappear before us, as aims not only rational and legitimate, 

 but, in all highest senses, necessary ones. 



Increasingly discerning and utilising the long tradition of Life, 

 and of Humanity as rising to its social and individual best, with due 

 selection and guidance of their variations as well, it is plainly again 

 becoming possible for each family and neighbour- group, each region 

 and city, each larger culture-grouping as well, and with due regard 

 alike to vital and social inter-crossings, to set about raising its 

 struggle towards its Culture of Existence. In such ways the current 

 conception of "Progress", so far too vague, when not too limited, 

 can be increasingly clarified and developed, in terms alike of Evolu- 

 tion and Education, increasingly at one. Indeed, is not this latter 

 conception'^the simpler and clearer of the two ? So utilising all the 

 best that nature and nurture can give us, we learn to aid our suc- 

 cessors to socialise, moralise, intellectualise — and thus creatively 

 individualise — Life yet farther, in fuller and more vital interaction 



