138 THE CREED OF SCIENCE, RELIGIOUS AND MORAL. 



really determines action, where lies the merit if the action 

 be what is called a good one ? where the demerit if it be 

 the reverse ? Is there any more merit or demerit in 

 human actions on this theory than in the actions of lions 

 or tigers which in like manner obey the strongest motive ? 

 Is not the murderer's act assimilated to that of the tiger 

 who kills a man ? Is not the most heroic action due to 

 the accidental presence and strength of a good motive in 

 the breast, to a happy grace from Nature ? In answer 

 to this it must be confessed that the merit and demerit 

 of actions is, on the necessitarian theory, considerably 

 diminished, though not the praise or blame, the admira- 

 tion or detestation which they may arouse. The merit 

 or demerit of our actions is diminished when we remember 

 that it follows necessarily from motives, that the motives 

 come from character, and that character is in great 

 measure determined for us by heredity, education, and 

 circumstance. Still, it is not wholly so determined, and 

 we are meritorious so far as we endeavour to make it 

 better, so far as we endeavour to make a good conscience 

 our strongest motive force, even though here again we 

 cannot greatly succeed unless, by the grace of Nature, the 

 germs of good have already been deposited within us. But 

 to raise the question of merit or demerit is to raise a vain 

 and misleading issue. Our merits at the best are slight, 

 as others besides the Calvinist theologians have dis- 

 covered, and, undoubtedly, the demerit goes with the 

 merit. If all got their deserts it might not be just to say 

 with Hamlet that " few should escape a whipping ; " but 

 certainly few should get any extra reward ; and the best, 

 like St. Paul, are those Vho would lay the least claim to 

 any. It is true we cannot help attributing merit to the 

 men who have stood firm even unto death for truth and 

 right. We attribute merit to them because they have 



