230 LECTURE VIII. 



action is considered praiseworthy. The notions of good and 

 evil arise from the wants of society and the relations of in- 

 dividuals to each other. Now if this be true^ it is equally 

 certain that the notion of good and evil is as much prevalent 

 in social animals as in human societies. The first step in 

 society is the family ; the notions of good and evil consist^ as 

 regards the child, chiefly in obedience towards the parents, 

 and as regards the parents, in caresses or punishment. Ob- 

 serve now in a cat or bear family, the behaviour of the young 

 and their education by the parents, and say, whether it is not 

 the image of a human family in all its manifestations of good 

 and evil. I grant it is cat morality and bear morality which is 

 impressed upon the young, still it is a morality, and the kitten 

 which does not come when the mother calls it, the two-year- 

 old bear who does not properly tend his brothers and sisters, 

 is as much scolded and cufied as our dear little ones when they 

 neglect the first moral and Christian duty — fihal obedience. 



With regard to animal societies, I beg to quote an extract 

 from Dr. Brehm's "lUustrirte Thierleben" (illustrations of 

 animal life) : — 



" The most gifted male member of a horde of apes becomes 

 the leader. This dignity is, however, not conferred upon 

 him by ' universal sufii-age^ ; he only obtains it after having 

 conquered the other male competitors. The longest teeth and 

 the strongest arms decide. Whoever does not voluntarily 

 submit, is bitten and knocked about until he listens to reason. 

 The crown belongs to the strongest, and his wisdom lies in his 

 teeth. The strongest apes are usually the oldest, to which the 

 younger and less experienced must defer. The leader demands 

 and enforces implicit obedience. Chivalrous behaviour is not his 

 affair; he takes the reward of love by storm. No female member 

 of the horde must carry on any love afiair. His eyes are sharp, 

 and his discipline severe ; he won't take a joke in his amours. 

 The females who should commit themselves, are so cufied 

 that they take care not to offend again ; the youthful ape 

 which intrudes into the harem of his Sultan is treated much 

 worse." 



^ H« * * * * " As for the rest, the leader performs 



