THE DESCENT OF MAN 



his past actions and their motives — of approving of some 

 and disapproving of others; and the fact that man is the 

 one being who certainly deserves this designation, is the 

 greatest of all distinctions between him and - the lower 

 animals. But in the fourth chapter I have endeavored to 

 show that the moral sense follows, first, from the enduring 

 and ever-present nature of the social instincts; secondly, 

 from man's appreciation of the approbation and disappro- 

 bation of his fellows; and thirdly, from the high activity of 

 his mental faculties, with past impressions extremely vivid; 

 and in these latter respects he differs from the lower ani- 

 mals. Owing to this condition of mind, man cannot avoid 

 looking both backward and forward, and comparing past 

 impressions. Hence after some temporary desire or passion 

 has mastered his social instincts, he reflects and compares 

 the now weakened impression of such past impulses with 

 the ever-present social instincts, and he then feels that 

 sense of dissatisfaction which all unsatisfied instincts leave 

 behind them ; he therefore resolves to act differently for the 

 future — and this is conscience. Any instinct permanently 

 stronger or more enduring than another gives rise to a feel- 

 ing which we express by saying that it ought to be obeyed, 

 A pointer dog, if able to refiect on his past conduct, would 

 say to himself, I ought (as indeed we say of him) to have 

 pointed at that hare and not have yielded to the passing 

 temptation of hunting it. 



,' Social animals are impelled partly by a wish to aid the 

 members of their community in a general manner, but more 

 commonly to perform certain definite actions. Man is im- 



— pelled by the same general wish to aid his fellows; but has 

 few or no special instincts. He differs also from the lower 

 animals in the power of expressing his desires by words, 

 which thus become a guide to the aid required and be- 

 stowed. The motive to give aid is likewise much modified 

 in man: it no longer consists solely of a blind instinctive 

 impulse, but is much influenced by the praise or blame of 

 his fellows. The appreciation and the bestowal of praise 



