The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-02-10
INFLUENCE OF CONDITIONS.

The Factors of Civilization, a recent work by j.. H. Bailey, is attracting the attention of thinking men everywhere. Mir. Bailey, in opposition to Spencer. who holds that the cause of evil is the non- adaptation of character to circumstances claims that this is only in part true, in that aS much depends upon the adapta- ton of circumstances to character, and. as he conceives. the study of sociology is much simplihed. and presents much happier outlook for the prosperity of man kind. MT. Spencer himself admits that it will require an untold number of ages for character te adopt itself to circum- stances and for the elimination of evil. We extract the following as m example of his reasoning:
 But the most convincing proof of our proposition is afforded by the study of the disposition of woman, as presented under various forms of civilization, and as the conditions we had mentioned are absent or present m her environments. The wives, daughters, mothers and sis ters of the upper and middle classes in Europe. and in nearly all classes above the lowest in the United States, as a rule. arc happier and more virtuous. more charitable and impulsive than the men. Why! Because. having husbands. fathers and brothers to provide for them. they have competency assured and, in consequence of not having to pull and twist. lie and cheat, trampie or be tram pied m the struggle for existence. they are more generous and more truthful. and. in word. more noble. And again these in their home circle enjoy all the advantages to be derived from a congen- ial association and good government. They. too. have, on the whole, as good an education-that is. they have as much knowledge of such things as concern ,hem-as the men of their class in the community. And, as wives, mothers. daughters or sisters. ind in their home duties occupations congenial, and bear ing in the increased love and admiration of husbands, fathers. brothers, or sons, a rich reward women in this condition are justly considered superior in good ness. in sympathy, and other noble qualities~to the majority of men in the same class.
 Yet it is very doubtful if women have any greater natural capacity for good ness" than men. Remove but one of these surroundings. Let them belong to those artihcially constructed societies. called in ordinary parlance the Upper Ten = and, finding no scope for the exercise of individual talents or tastes, for their su- Perfiucus energy to exercise itself upon, VIC have, in consequence, utter eassi and affectation. as in some of Mir. Mallock's sketches or, from rich blood, high liv- ing, novel reading, fancy dances-a con- stant excitant to the animal passions that too often results in falls from virtue, in- tngues, etc. II. however, we imagine the conditions supposed as restored, and from woman happy because thus circum- stanced. we remove the factor knouledee, or education, we have evil results again following. Hnore ignorant than her companions or acquaintances, we will have as result a morbid appFehensive- ness of this fact by the woman. which will produce gloom and melancholy; or obstinacy and reckiessness, with core spending unhappiness to herself and