Justice in Death 97 



We may deduce from these observations certain laws. 

 There seems to be in active operation in nature a clear and 

 regular beneficial effect in the selection, by actual life test, 

 of a required number of lives from a greater number, al- 

 ways more creatures than are needed to survive. The death 

 of the individual in old age at the end of a normal period of 

 life, with offspring inheriting his abilities, permits of the use 

 of an elaborated body structure without enslavement to that 

 structure; but with possibility of renewal of it with normal 

 progress in favoring conditions. And the death of a number 

 of individuals before maturity, permits a utilization of the 

 variations which are experimental forms of body struc- 

 ture, and the preference of those most fit to survive enables 

 the race to meet what may be termed abnormal conditions. 

 When the struggle for existence, and for continuation of 

 species, proceeds actively with only the primitive phases of 

 instinct in operation, then those most successful in main- 

 taining themselves in adverse circumstances, are those most 

 lavish of life and death. It seems that a habit of production 

 of many more than the normal loss by age, is the primitive 

 provision for abundant variation, to be used in overcoming 

 adversities and establishing new types to resist them. 



But conduct variation is needed, not only to change the 

 racial qualities to meet new adversities, but to establish such 

 new habits as may be made more profitable than the old; 

 and to accomplish changes in the race which, in the same 

 environment, may adapt it to higher ways of living. The 

 higher mode of life may be instinctive as in animals and un- 

 conscious ; or it may be reasoned as in mankind, and may be 

 self imposed and idealistic. It remains true, however, that 



