314 E VOL UTION- OF TO-DA Y. 



it be necessary to find more traces of these intuitions 

 in animals in order to make the evolution of mind a 

 possible belief. 



Moral Nature. 



A more extended consideration is required of the 

 moral nature of man. This phase of man's nature 

 is the most important of all, and has taken the most 

 prominent position in all discussions as to the rela- 

 tion of man to the lower animals. More than any 

 other subject has this question been open to the 

 odium theologicum and odium anti-theologicum, and 

 the discussion has ofttimes been more bitter and 

 dogmatic than candid and logical. Frequently it is 

 difficult to see what the various disputants are try- 

 ing to prove. It is plainly evident that this factor 

 of man's nature must be explained, or the whole 

 argument is valueless. 



First, a word as to the various phases of the moral 

 nature comprised under the terms religion, reverence 

 for God, a belief in the supernatural, a belief in im- 

 mortality, etc. All of these factors are almost uni- 

 versally present in men. Almost universal, but 

 probably not quite, since a few savage tribes seem 

 to be lacking in any ideas of this kind. To be sure, 

 it is almost impossible to say positively that this is 

 so. Our only information must be derived from 

 travellers, and they are very apt to be deceived, as is 

 shown by the different conclusions different travel- 

 lers have reached in regard to the same tribes. It is, 

 however, the general belief of ethnologists that some 

 few tribes are utterly devoid of any idea of the 



