MORAL FACULTIES. 129 



by Degetting offspring with a tendency to inherit his own high 

 character. 



With increased experience and reason, man perceives the more 

 remote consequences of his actions, and the self-regarding vir- 

 tues, such as temperance, chastity, &c., which during early times 

 are, as we have before seen, utterly disregarded, come to be 

 highly esteemed or even held sacred. I need not, however, repeat 

 what I have said on this head In the fourth chapter. Ultimately 

 our moral sense or conscience becomes a highly complex senti- 

 ment — originating in the social instincts, largely guided by the 

 approbation of our fellow-men, ruled by reason, self-interest, and 

 in later times by deep religious feelings, and confirmed by insu'uc- 

 tion and habit. 



It must not be forgotten that although a high standard of 

 morality gives but a slight or no advantage to each individual 

 man and his children over the other men of the same tribe, yet 

 that an increase in the number of well-endowed men and an 

 advancement in the standard of morality will certainly give an 

 immense advantage to one tribe over another. A tribe including 

 many members who, from possessing in a high degree the spirit 

 of patriotism, fidelity, obedience, courage, and sympathy, were 

 always ready to aid one another, and to sacrifice themselves for 

 the common good, would be victorious over most other tribes; 

 and this would be natural selection. At all times throughout 

 the world tribes have supplanted other tribes; and as morality 

 is one important element in their success, the standard of 

 morality and the number of well-endowed men will thus every- 

 where tend to rise and increase. 



It is however, very difficult to form any judgment why one 

 particular tribe and not another has been successful and has 

 risen in the scale of civilization. Many savages are in the same 

 condition as when first discovered several centuries ago. As Mr. 

 Bagehot has remarked, we are apt to look at progress as normal 

 in human society; but history refutes this. The ancients did 

 not even entertain the idea, nor do the Oriental nations at the 

 present day. According to another high authority. Sir Henry 

 Maine,' "the greatest part of mankind has never shown a particle 

 "of desire that its civil institutions should be improved." Progress 

 seems to depend on many concurrent favorable conditions, far 

 too complex to be followed out. But it has often been remarked, 

 that a cool climate, from leading to industry and to the various 

 arts, has been highly favorable thereto. The Esquimaux, pressed 

 by hard necessity, have succeeded in many ingenious inventions, 

 but their climate has been too severe for continued progress. 



' 'Ancient Law,' 1S61, p. 22. For Mr. Bagehot's remarks, 'Fortnightly 

 Beview,' April 1, 1868, p. 452. 

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