too PHYSICAL BASIS OF CIVILIZATION 



toughness, agility, courage, ferocity, and cunning; 

 and while existing, perhaps, by ones, twos, and in 

 small family groups scattered over a large territory, 

 could, obviously, maintain their lives only by the 

 almost unremitting exercise of all their physical 

 powers, under the direction of their rapidly increas- 

 ing degree of cunning. 



And what was the general character of the con- 

 duct by which these few succeeded in maintaining 

 a brief existence against such fearful odds? Self- 

 evidently cunning could not be exercised in the man- 

 ner in which it is used to-day. They were probably 

 not righting against each other, unless on rare occa- 

 sions. They could not outwit their fellows, competi- 

 tors, or enemies, by shrewd bargains, keen decep- 

 tions, legal trickery, etc. Clearly, their cunning 

 could only be made available in directing their con- 

 duct in contests with or in flights from enemies or 

 competitors, pursuit of prey, securing food or drink, 

 and selecting places for shelter and maintaining 

 these against other creatures trying to dispossess 

 them. These limitations of conduct imply violently 

 energetic running, striking, kicking, jumping, leaping, 

 etc., on the physical side, and alert, circumspect 

 and cleverly concerted arrangement of these motions 

 on the mental side. Evidently only the most com- 

 petent could maintain themselves by such conduct. 

 The lame, the halt, the infirm, malformed, deformed, 

 or those in any way hindered, hampered, impeded, or 

 interfered with by any physical departure from com- 



