176 SAVAGE SUEVIVALS 



away nothing themselves without expecting to re- 

 ceive as much in return, and, being unable to im- 

 agine any other conduct, are naturally very defi- 

 cient in gratitude.'^ Giving, if it is pure, is an 

 act of the heart. It is generosity. It is an ex- 

 pression of sympathy and love. There is no ex- 

 pectation of anything in return. But among 

 primitive peoples giving is mere trading. 



Owing to the operation of the Law of Biogen- 

 esis, which compels each being in its individual 

 development to pass thru the stages of its an- 

 cestors, the children among the higher races of 

 mankind have (like savages) very little or no feel- 

 ing of gratitude. A child will receive any number 

 of favors or the benefits of any number of sacri- 

 fices without feeling a particle of thankfulness for 

 them. For a long time after it learns to say 

 *Hhank you'' without having to be prompted by 

 its mother, the child has no feeling of thankful- 

 ness corresponding with the words. It is not sin- 

 cere. Boys and girls even of considerable years 

 will accept the most valuable courtesies from oth- 

 ers, and then forget all about these courtesies in a 

 few weeks or months. Even in adults it is a very 

 common thing for courtesies to be appreciated so 

 feebly as to be forgotten in a few weeks. And 

 nearly all giving is still adulterated a great deal 

 with the trading spirit. It is not pure. 



Some forms of sympatJiy are very old. The 

 sympathy of a mother for her child is pre- 

 human. We find it well developed in birds, bears, 



