II EVOLUTION AND ETHICS. 85 



The theory of evolution encourages no millen- 

 nial anticipations. If, for millions of years, our 

 globe has taken the upward road, yet, some time, 

 the summit will be reached and the downward 

 route will be commenced. The most daring im- 

 agination will hardly venture upon the suggestion 

 that the power and the intelligence of man can 

 ever arrest the procession of the great year. 



Moreover, the cosmic nature born with us and, 

 to a large extent, necessary for our maintenance, 

 is the outcome of millions of years of severe train- 

 ing, and it would be folly to imagine that a few 

 centuries will suffice to subdue its masterfulness 

 to purely ethical ends. Ethical nature may count 

 upon having to reckon with a tenacious and pow- 

 erful enemy as long as the world lasts. But, on 

 the other hand, I see no limit to the extent to 

 which intelligence and will, guided by sound prin- 

 ciples of investigation, and organized in common 

 effort, may modify the conditions of existence, for 

 a period longer than that now covered by history. 

 And much may be done to change the nature of 

 man himself.^^ The intelligence which has con- 

 verted the brother of the wolf into the faithful 

 guardian of the flock ought to be able to do some- 

 thing towards curbing the instincts of savagery 

 in civilized men. 



But if we may permit ourselves a larger hope 

 of abatement of the essential evil of the world 

 than was possible to those who, in the infancy of 



