THE DESCENT OF MAN. 
Part I- 
96 
help admiring him, or even an Indian Fakir, who, from 
a foolish religious motive, swings suspended by a hook 
buried in his flesh. 
The other self-regarding virtues, which do not ob- 
viously, though they may really, affect the welfare of 
the tribe, have never been esteemed by savages, though 
now highly appreciated by civilised nations. The 
greatest intemperance with savages is no reproach. 
Their utter licentiousness, not to mention unnatural 
crimes, is something astounding . 27 As soon, however, as 
marriage, whether polygamous or monogamous, becomes 
common, jealousy will lead to the inculcation of female 
virtue ; and this being honoured will tend to spread to the 
unmarried females. How slowly it spreads to the male 
sex we see at the present day. Chastity eminently 
requires self-command ; therefore it has been honoured 
from a very early period in the moral history of civilised 
man. As a consequence of this, the senseless practice 
of celibacy has been ranked from a remote period as 
a virtue . 28 The hatred of indecency, which appears to 
us so natural as to be thought innate, and which is so 
valuable an aid to chastity, is a modern virtue, apper- 
taining exclusively, as Sir G. Staunton remarks,'* to 
civilised life. This is shewn by the ancient religious 
rites of various nations, by the drawings on the walls of 
Pompeii, and by the practices of many savages. 
We have now seen that actions are regarded by 
savages, and were probably so regarded by primeval 
man, as good or bad, solely as they affect in an obvious 
manner the welfare of the tribe, — not that of the 
species, nor that of man as an individual member of the 
27 Mr. MT.ennan bus given (‘Primitive Marriage,’ 18G5, p. 17G) a- 
good collection of facts on this head. 
28 Lecky, ‘ History of European Morals,’ vol. i. I860, p. 10P. 
211 ‘Embassy to China, ’ vol. ii. p. 348. 
