212 THE SPEECH OF MONKEYS. 



the future and invalidates all fears which have been 

 obstacles to its extension. Instead of that relentless 

 cruelty and that unavoidable depression which seems to 

 result from that terrible theory of the "struggle for 

 life" and the "survival only of the fittest," which 

 mercilessly sacrifices all the weak and those unfit for 

 given conditions of life, we must consider that we are 

 now the fittest, and that it is a necessary consequence 

 for us to perfect ourselves more and more. Therein lies 

 an immense comfort, and therein lies the boundless 

 moral significance of Darwin's theory, which only short- 

 sighted or obstinate people cannot see. Or is there any- 

 one who will deny in earnest that there is in the supposi- 

 tion of an incessant development of mankind an extra- 

 ordinarily comforting assurance? The brutal struggle 

 for life will take the form of a noble contest in perfecting 

 our intelligence and our humanity, our virtues and our 

 morals. But even if this were not the case, we ought 

 not to hesitate one moment to state the results of our 

 scientific researches, no matter if they are agreeable or 

 disagreeable to our feelings, desires and inclinations. 

 What we strive at is truth, nothing but truth, no matter 

 how we find it, and how it presents itself. We do not 

 hesitate a moment to tear down old systems and doctrines 

 if they should prevent the truth from coming forward 

 and spreading out among all people. Does that neces- 

 sarily mean that we destroy religion 1 On the contrary, 

 we are firm believers in the statement of the old 

 philosopher: "Only he who seeks truth seeks God." 



This brings up a question, the last one I shall touch 

 to-night, which in the opinion of many present, 

 does not belong here at all, and yet which stands in 

 close relation to this subject under discussion. It is the 

 often repeated reproach tb.at the Darwinists have no re- 

 ligion at all, that they do not believe in a divine Creator, 

 and that they want to remove religion entirely from the 



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