400 THE FUTURE OF RELIGION AND MORALS. 



distinct evolution and transmission by heredity of affec- 

 tions and sentiments lodged specially in the breast of 

 each to consider the claims of others in the cases of com- 

 petition, and sometimes to induce us to surrender our 

 own pleasure and satisfaction for the sake of others. 

 Reason and reflection teaches us that often there is no 

 real antagonism between our good and that of others 

 where we supposed there was such ; and that often a 

 seeming conflict may be resolved into a real community 

 of interest, while even in the case of a real opposition 

 there are developed principles existing within us the 

 sense of justice, the fact of benevolence, the judgment of 

 conscience whose business it is to consider fairly the 

 competing claims of others, and sometimes even to take 

 the part of others against ourselves ; at least, as in the 

 case of the impulses to benevolence and mercy, to con- 

 sider it better " to give than to receive," to forgive than 

 to revenge. In such moral factors as these lies our hope 

 of future moral progress, as in the recognition of them 

 lies the possibility of a partial reconciliation of the real 

 and ideal morals, of the scientifically ascertained facts and 

 conditions under which men must live and act, and the 

 unconditional commands of the moral law as conceived 

 by Kant, or the supreme authority of conscience as proved 

 by Butler. But there can be only a partial approach to 

 harmonization between the opposite moral schools, as 

 there can be only a nearer approach to coincidence 

 between the real and ideal spheres of conduct. 



For there are contradictions in our own nature as 

 well as in the external conditions of things. There are 

 the self -conserving instincts at the bottom of our being, 

 which must ever produce a certain interference with the 

 happiness at least of some others. And besides pity and 

 sympathy, there are facts of our nature antagonistic to 



