306 THE HUMAN SPECIES 



been summarily decided in favour of man by the advocates of 

 the anthropocentric doctrine, although their decision by no 

 means agrees with the evidence. 



In the first place it is common knowledge that gratitude is 

 a quality widely distributed among birds and mammals, and is 

 shown by animated looks and joyful movements when they 

 receive any kindness. Unbounded fidelity and trust are ex- 

 hibited also by otherwise savage and ill-natured creatures. It 

 detracts but little from the value of the gratitude that in man, 

 as well as in animals, it is based on selfish motives ; for on 

 this foundation rests every moral motive to those well-recog- 

 nised social instincts that have led to and maintained the 

 position of the family and racial kinship. 



According to the view of Darwin and many other observers, 

 morality is a purely practical outcome of the social instincts. 



The post of leader among animals, of commander and 

 defender, of keeping guard and giving signals, is a post of 

 honour acquired by merit, and the trust is loyally discharged 

 just as a soldier would rather lose his life than betray his 

 trust. 



" With those animals which live permanently in a body," 

 says Darwin, " the social instincts are ever present and per- 

 sistent ; " even among them there is often a conflict between 

 opposing instincts, and those offending against the common 

 good are crushed (e.g., apes who by making expeditions 

 into the fields have jeopardised the safety of the troop). Dar- 

 win further suggests that a moral feeling, a sort of con- 

 science, must have been acquired by every social animal if 

 it had developed its intellectual powers as highly, or nearly as 

 highly, as man, and naturally there would have been room for 

 an infinity of variations. The highest limit to which an 

 animal can rise, and the nearest to man intellectually, is the 

 feeling of duty, or responsibility, such as is seen in the trained 

 elephant and some dogs (sheep dogs and watch dogs), especi- 

 ally in the true St. Bernard. 



Such dogs as " Barry" of the poem, that set out unbidden 

 at the risk of their lives in spite of snow-drifts and avalanches 

 to save the unfortunate traveller, are enough by themselves to 

 dissipate the old idea that animals have no moral sense. 



