380 HEREDITY AND SELECTIOX IX SOCIOLOGY 



sanction is life, since they are inseparable from life. But we 

 thoroughly agree with Mr. Kidd as to the importance of the 

 sociological role of religious belief ; and we think, with him, that 

 to inform us that religious beliefs are derived from a primitive 

 behef in ghosts and the life of the dead is to tell us nothing. 

 Herbert Spencer's exposition of the genesis of religious beUef 

 in the first volume of his Sociology is, and will remain, one of the 

 masterpieces of the human intellect ; but, nevertheless, great 

 is the pity that Spencer did not even think it necessary, in 

 treating of the principles of sociology, to give us any information 

 as to the role played by religious beliefs, not only in the past, 

 but to-day. The origin of a belief teUs us nothing as to its 

 sociological role, as to its function in social life. Mr. Kidd has 

 filled in this lacuna in Herbert Spencer's work ; but we will 

 glance at this important subject in a later chapter, merely re- 

 marking that, although we are unable wholly to accept Mr. 

 Kidd's conclusions as to the nature of the social function of 

 religious beliefs, we none the less admire the great service he 

 has rendered in recalling this function of religion to the notice 

 of sociologists ; who, since Auguste Comte, have been more and 

 more inclined to neglect what is undoubtedly a most important 

 factor in our social life. 



Note on Overpopulation and Social Misery. 



We have said that reproduction beyond the possible conditions of exist- 

 once is essential to progress. It may, therefore, be concluded that we are 

 in favour of unchecked multiplication of the human species ; but it is 

 necessary here to define our meaning more explicitly. 



The remarks we have already made concerning the undue multiplica- 

 tion of enfeebled organisms will give the clue to our position. Reproduc- 

 tion beyond the possible conditions of existence is essential to progress, and 

 an indispensable condition of it, provided free jAay he allowed to natural 

 selection for eliminating the unfit elements. Excessive reproduction is 

 beneficial in that it provides for the action of selection. If the conditions 

 are so altered as to allow of excessive reproduction, while diminishing the 



