412 DARWINISM AND THE PROBLEMS OF LIFE 



build a boat once more. Tradition made it possible, 

 not only for others to copy the boat, and for their children 

 to learn the art, so that it became a lasting possession of 

 the people, but also for improvements to be made, since 

 the children did not need to reflect all their lives on how 

 to make a boat, like the first inventor ; they learned 

 the work in a shorter time, and were thus able to devote 

 their lives afterwards to improving it, and could transmit 

 this knowledge to their descendants. 



The whole of our higher civilisation would be im- 

 possible without tradition. Our books inform us of the 

 achievements of former ages, and inscriptions and draw- 

 ings acquaint us with long extinct races. The objects 

 of civilisation are our property, and we build further 

 upon them. We have implements from the very dawn 

 of humanity the essential parts of which still represent 

 the foundation of all creative work. Language, like a 

 great river, brings on its waves the achievements of 

 earlier generations down to our own time ; it unites all 

 generations in an unbroken chain. All this is so 

 obvious that we need say no more of the subject. 



What has been attained through tradition may be 

 modified and improved by natural selection. Let us 

 return to our illustration of the boat. It is quite clear 

 that the race whose boats have been improved owing to 

 tradition beyond those of a neighbouring, hostile race, 

 will be able to defeat the latter in a sea-fight, and so 

 spread into its territory. With the people will go the 

 traditional possession, the better boat. Thus in a sense 

 this has conquered the inferior outcome of tradition. 



