2o8 Heredity and Social Progress 



more typical than one of American progress, in 

 which the economic motives are so distinctly 

 uppermost. 



I am now compelled to make another change 

 and to seek the normal in a new direction. 

 It was my belief, as I think it is the common 

 belief as well, that the upbuilding forces in 

 national life are effective early in its develop- 

 ment, and that the destructive forces, coming 

 later in a body, made a period of decay ; we say, 

 for instance, that nations have a period of youth, 

 maturity, and old age. But this analogy now 

 seems fallacious. Life is not a simple upbuild- 

 ing process followed by decay. Death is an 

 accident to life, not a necessity. The destruc- 

 tive or devolutional forces are always at work, 

 even at the beginning; but in their normal 

 function they create change, not death. Devo- 

 lution is an essential part to progress. The 

 upbuilding process continues only as life is cut 

 back to create more vigorous growth. The 

 normal, therefore, lies still farther away than 

 I had supposed from those youthful periods 

 when there are many additions but no change. 

 There is nothing normal on which emotion 



