294 Darwin's Theory of Social Progress 



The moral sense perhaps affords the best and highest 

 distinction between man and the lower animals; 

 but I need say nothing on this head, as I have so lately 

 endeavoured to show that the social instincts — the 

 prime principle of man's moral constitution — with the 

 aid of active intellectual powers and the effects 

 of habit, naturally lead to the golden rule, "As ye 

 would that men should do to you, do ye to them 

 likewise"; and this lies at the foundation of morality.* 



Darwin's genealogy of morals may conveniently 

 be represented by means of a graphic illustration. 

 At the centre of the process of evolution is the 

 factor of mutual aid, going back on the one side 

 through the social instincts and the parental 

 and filial affections to its cosmic roots of love ; and 

 on the other side, through the desire for happiness 

 and enlightened self-interest to reason and the 

 first dawnings of intelligence in the scale of animal 

 life. From this elementary need of mutual aid we 

 may trace the causes of the advance of morality as 

 summed up by Darwin : 



The approbation of our fellow-men — the strengthen- 

 ing of our sympathies by habit — example and imitation 

 — reason — experience, and even self-interest — in- 

 struction during youth, and religious feelings,' 



The result of this evolutionary process, leading 

 up to the moral law, is represented in the accom- 

 panying figure: 



I The Descent of Man, p, 142. * Idem, p. 153. 



