128 THE DESCENT OF MAN. 



the first impulse to benevolent actions. Habits, moreover, fol- 

 lowed during many generations probably tend to be inherited. 



But another and much more powerful stimulus to the develop- 

 ment of the social virtues, is afforded by the praise and the blame 

 of our fellow-men. To the Instinct of sympathy, as we have al- 

 ready seen, it is primarily due, that we habitually bestow both 

 praise and blame on others, whilst we love the former and dread 

 the latter when applied to ourselves; and this instinct no doubt 

 was originally acquired, like all the other social Instincts, through 

 natural selection. At how early a period the progenitors of man 

 in the course of their development, became capable of feeling and 

 being impelled by, the praise or blame of their fellow-creatures, 

 we cannot of course say. But it appears that even dogs appre- 

 ciate encouragement, praise, and blame. The rudest savages feel 

 the sentiment of glory, as they clearly show by preserving the 

 trophies of their prowess, by their habit of excessive boasting, 

 and even by the extreme care which they take of their personal 

 appearance and decorations; for unless they regarded the opinion 

 of their comrades, such habits would be senseless. 



They certainly feel shame at the breach of some of their lesser 

 rules, and apparently remorse, as shown by the case of the Aus- 

 tralian who grew thin and could not rest from having delayed 

 to murder some other woman, so as to propitiate his dead wife's 

 spirit. Though I have not met with any other recorded case, 

 it is scarcely credible that a savage, who will sacrifice his life 

 rather than betray his tribe, or one who will deliver himself up 

 as a prisoner rather than break his parole," would not feel re- 

 morse In his inmost soul, if he had failed in a duty, which he 

 held sacred. 



We may therefore conclude that primeval man, at a very remote 

 period, was Influenced by the praise and blame of his fellows. 

 It Is obvious, that the members of the same tribe would approve 

 of conduct which appeared to them to be for the general good, 

 and would reprobate that which appeared evil. To do good unto 

 other.!— to do unto others as ye would they should do unto you — 

 is the foundation-stone of morality. It is, therefore, hardly pos- 

 sible to exaggerate the importance during rude times of the love 

 of praise and the dread of blame. A man who was not impelled 

 by any deep, instinctive feeling, to sacrifice his life for the good 

 of others, yet was roused to such actions by a sense of glory, 

 would by his example excite the same wish for glory in other 

 men, and would strengthen by exercise the noble feeling of ad- 

 miration. He might thus do far more good to his tribe than 



' Mr. Wallace gives cases In his 'Contributions to the Theory <yt 

 Natural Selection,' 1870, p. 364. 



