398 The Morality of Nature 



joint trust, and upon mutual credit, are not to be forced. 

 They can be done perfectly and fully, only in the free willing 

 confidence of the co-operative conduct motive. It as neces- 

 sary to the ordinary work as it is to the loftier sacrifices. 

 We know the value of the altruism of charity and of 

 medicine, and of devotion to science or to patriotism, but 

 we often overlook the fact that modern civilization de- 

 pends in its daily routine upon a sense of duty, which is a 

 new order of morality, because it is self-governed and free, 

 and cannot be compelled. 



The value of liberty lies partly in the greater efficiency of 

 the energy of free units, and partly in the greater oppor- 

 tunity it affords for variation and progress. The first 

 benefit, efficiency, arises in the fact that labor done to 

 accomplish a purpose concurred in by the worker, is more 

 enjoyable and energetic, and better qualified, than would be 

 a labor desired by some controlling mind and forced upon 

 the laborer. Where men are free to select their work there 

 will be a certain degree of special fitness for the work; and 

 in the division of labor among specialized laborers, which 

 we have seen in biology to be an evolutionary process, 

 this special fitness is a necessary thing for the organization 

 of the great units of Humanity. It is obviously an im- 

 perfect allotment of work if special duties are imposed 

 upon those specially unfit. A certain gain arises in the 

 separation of functions, even without specialization of 

 powers, but efficiency is clearly advanced to a higher grade, 

 by such special qualification ; and happiness and gratification 

 of just desires follow. 



Whether this is a benefit of moral nature will depend 



