SEXUAL SELECTION IN RELATION TO MAN 787 



and blame both rest on sympathy; and this emotion, as 

 we have seen, is one of the most important elements of the 

 social instincts. Sympathy, though gained as an instinct, 

 is also much strengthened by exercise or habit. As all men 

 desire their own happiness, praise or blame is bestowed on 

 actions and motives according as they lead to this end; and 

 as happiness is an essential part of the general good, the 

 greatest-happiness principle indirectly serves as a nearly 

 safe standard of right and wrong. As the reasoning pow- 

 ers advance and experience is gained, the remoter effects 

 of certain lines of conduct on the character of the individ- 

 ual, and on the general good, are perceived; and then the 

 self-regarding virtues come within the scope of public opin- 

 ion, and receive praise, and their opposites blame. But 

 with the less civilized nations reason often errs, and many 

 bad customs and base superstitions come within the same 

 scope, and are then esteemed as high virtues, and their 

 breach as heavy crimes. 



The moral faculties are generally and justly esteemed 

 as of higher value than the intellectual powers. But we 

 should bear in mind that the activity of the mind in viv- 

 idly recalling past impressions is one of the fundamental, - 

 though secondary, bases of conscience. This afiEords the 

 strongest argument for educating and stimulating in all 

 possible ways the intellectual faculties of every human 

 being. Ko doubt a man with a torpid mind, if his social 

 affections and sympathies are well developed, will be led to 

 good actions, and may have a fairly sensitive conscience. 

 But whatever renders the imagination more vivid, and 

 strengthens the habit of recalling and comparing past im- 

 pressions, will make the conscience more sensitive, and 

 may even somewhat compensate for weak social affections 

 and sympathies. 



The moral nature of man has reached its present stand- 

 ard partly through the advancement of his reasoning pow- 

 ers, and consequently of a just public opinion, but especially 

 from his sympathies having been rendered more tender and 



