284 HEREDITY AND SELECTION IN SOCIOLOGY 



cording to the specific degree of evolution and the specific con- 

 stitution of each. Reacting on society, such variations neces- 

 sarily react on the individuals in their social existence ; but the 

 individuals thus affected are afEected only through the social 

 medium. Determined in its constitution by purely intrasocial 

 forces, a society is reacted upon by extrasocial forces according 

 to the nature of that constitution. A warlike society, whose 

 pursuits are mainly bellicose, will exhibit most activity during 

 that period of the year in which the days are longest — in which, 

 consequently, the climatic variations are most suitable for the 

 aims of that society. A pastoral society, as far as it exhibits 

 any marked degree of activity, is most likely to manifest it 

 during that period of the year most favourable for the feeding 

 of flocks. And an industrial society is likewise Ukely to mani- 

 fest the greatest amount of activity when the days are longer 

 and when the temperature is more favourable to the stimula- 

 tion of energy. Thus it may seem as if, indeed, the same period 

 of the year — that is to say, the same thermal variations — were 

 favourable to all forms of society ; and this is very generally 

 true. Nevertheless, we have not here to do with a relation of 

 necessity, or of cause and effect. The activity of the society, 

 whether military, or pastoral, or industrial, is not determined 

 by thermal variations : it is determined by the intrasocial forces 

 inherent to that society ; and the society does but utiUse, so to 

 speak, the thermal variations for the manifestation of its in- 

 herent activity. 



Thus, to take the civilised society of to-day, we find ourselves 

 in presence of a feverish economic activity, which is not, how- 

 ever, the result of thermal and climatic conditions, but of the 

 development of industry ; and this in turn is a result of the develop- 

 ment of the applied sciences, consequently of the intellectual 

 evolution of humanity. This economic activity is, a priori, more 

 hkely to manifest itself vigorously during the second quarter of 

 the year — that is to say, during that period in which the tern- 



