94 PHYSICAL BASIS OF CIVILIZATION 



any aggressors. But a primary instinct or necessity 

 is always the motive or cause of any and all their 

 destructive activities. Obviously, therefore, the 

 results of their life-destroying energies must be nar- 

 rowly limited in extent so long as life in general 

 remains abundant; and it must remain thus when 

 no other destructive agencies are at work. For all 

 the higher mammalia are admirably fitted for the 

 struggle for existence by being abundantly supplied 

 with means for offence, defence, protection, escape, 

 and rapid multiplication. 



But now there enters upon the scene a creature 

 most miserably discriminated against by the physi- 

 cal forces of the universe. A creature absolutely void 

 of all natural means of offence, defence, protection, 

 escape, and with a pitiably slow rate of multiplica- 

 tion. A creature afflicted with numerous perilous 

 natural disabilities, infirmities, defects, and disad- 

 vantages of physical structure. A creature by 

 nature utterly unfit for the physical struggle for 

 existence, and kept, therefore, during many times 

 many generations, close to the limit of extermina- 

 tion, escaping only by a very narrow margin; 

 naturally selected, therefore, during these long genera- 

 tions, on the line of greatest muscular strength, 

 greatest agility, greatest toughness, courage, ferocity, 

 and cunning. 



This creature, after a long period, learns artificially 

 to arm himself with clubs, missiles, and with fire, 

 and applies all the qualities slowly acquired by 



