THE PSYCHOLOGY OF ALTRUISM 297 



being has when by means of his imagination he 

 gets so actually into the place of another that his 

 own feelings duplicate more or less the feelings 

 of that other. It is the ability or the impulse to 

 weep with those who weep, and rejoice with those 

 who are glad. Sympathy is the substance and 

 the only sure basis of morality — the only tie of 

 sincere and lasting mutualism. Men have always 

 been to a considerable extent, and are yet, dis- 

 posed to think about and act toward each other 

 from motives of mutual fear or advantage. But 

 such motives are not the highest nor the most 

 reliable bonds of fellowship and unity. True 

 altruism and solidarity — true expansion and uni- 

 versalisation of the self — are found in sympathy. 

 It is impossible for one individual to do in his 

 heart to another as he would that another should 

 do to him, unless he is at all times able and 

 willing to get into the place of that other, and to 

 realise in his own consciousness the results to the 

 other of his acts. It is only when there is such an 

 intertwining of the consciousnesses that the joys 

 and sorrows of each individual consist to a greater 

 or less extent of the reflexes of the joys and 

 sorrows around him that there exists true social 

 oneness. The great task of reforming the universe 

 is, therefore, since the world is so steeped in 

 selfishness and hate, the task of endowing beings, 

 (y or the task of stocking the universe with beings, 

 C with dispositions to get out of themselves. If the 

 far-away first parents of men and women had 

 been broad-minded beings instead of narrow — had 



