312 TUE ACTION OF NATURAL 
day or two, and the herd is then pursued by a beast of 
prey, our poor invalid inevitably falls a victim. So, in 
a carnivorous animal, the least deficiency of vigour pre- 
vents its capturing food, and it soon dies of starvation. 
There is, as a general rule, no mutual assistance 
between adults, which enables them to tide over a 
period of sickness. Neither is there any division of 
labour; each must fulfil ali the conditions of its 
existence, and, therefore, ‘ natural selection” keeps 
all up to a pretty uniform standard. 
But in man, as we now behold him, this is different. 
He is social and sympathetic. In the rudest tribes 
the sick are assisted, at least with food; less robust 
health and vigour than the average does not entail 
death. Neither does the want of perfect limbs, or 
other organs, produce the same effects as among ani- 
mals. Some division of labour takes place ; the swiftest 
hunt, the less active fish, or gather fruits; food is, to 
some extent, exchanged or divided. The action of 
natural selection is therefore checked ; the weaker, the 
dwarfish, those of less active limbs, or less piercing 
eyesight, do not suffer the extreme penalty which falls 
upon animals so defective. 
In proportion as these physical characteristics be- 
come of less importance, mental and moral qualities 
will have increasing influence on the well-being of 
the race. Capacity for acting in concert for pro- 
tection, and for the acquisition of food and shelter ; 
sympathy, which leads all in turn to assist each other ; 
the sense of right, which checks depredations upon our 
