318 EVOLUTION OF TO-DAY. 



be for their greatest happiness. It is only the 

 higher classes who ever think of these questions. 

 The vast majority never ask what the meaning of 

 right is, beyond that it is something that must be 

 done. 



Understanding then what is meant by moral 

 sense, it cannot be claimed that there is any race of 

 men destitute of it. Some may have a greater 

 development of this sense than others. Some may 

 scarcely feel any uneasiness at any amount of crime ; 

 some may feel uncomfortable from wrong-doing; 

 some may feel repentant, and some may feel 

 remorse, over some very trifling misdeed. Some 

 may have so far disregarded this feeling that it has 

 almost disappeared. There has been and still is a 

 continual growth in the application of this principle 

 to concrete instances, leading to a development of 

 morals. There are as many different codes of 

 morals as there are races of men. But no race con- 

 founds the ideas of right with any thing else, and 

 every savage distinguishes between right and ex- 

 pediency. 



This being recognized, the next question to con- 

 sider is whether there is any thing corresponding to 

 a moral sense in animals. This question is a diffi- 

 cult one to answer, but it will usually be decided in 

 the negative. It is a well-known fact that some 

 animals, particularly dogs, can be taught to refrain 

 from certain acts. Even in the absence of their 

 master, they remember the prohibition, and exhibit 

 shame when caught in doing those things which are 

 prohibited. This certainly resembles a sense of 



