New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-03
THE ASCENT OF NAN.
A1TRr1sM AND THE STRUGGLE FOR LIFE

THE LOWELL. LECTURES on THE ASTENrT
OF Man, By Henry Drnmm1ondi I.i. p D.; r.
q e 5. f. F. c. ; f'' ''-' 3D. James '''
No writer Of the present day not even Mr.
Huxley surpasses Professor Drummond In the
art Of making scientific speculation attractive
vivid style and a rare capacity for massing ia'ts
IN solid array carry the reader through WORK
that would seem difficult II It came from any
other pen as easily as one peruses fascinating
novel Even an opponent ~ the theory 81 "voln-
lion proposed I'm this book cannot resist IN" rp-
mantle attraction 81 what the author Calls
STORY not an argument" though he VIII fe'i
that argument Is not lacking. II IS I-'ss!bl" that
such one Will see the process OF reasoning back
vord from foregone conclusions rather than an
advance from established principles u results
not autl.lpated nj thr outset. But b. Will know
that both these methods are scientific Probably
the point whore his criticism will begin IS the
very one on which Mr. Drummond lays most
stress. that is the relation - the so-cael 'Stfn;
cla f,~ Life" which 50 long has been the theme
~ .v,luilnarv theories ana the struggle for the
III. - Others" without which the s1r'al traits
81 animals AM. above an. - man. cannot be- ur-
dcrsf0ol II g. trle that an theories Of the de-
velopmcnt = The world AMI - NE 90 the world
fail somewhere Disqualification with the systems
81 Interpretation now exiant is au hui uni
vcrsal. Tho whole field ~ science is. as Mr.
Drummond sayf. hot with controversies and dis
cussions. There are chapters IN ID" history =
mature where every step from lower to higher
seems TO be- complete. not merely I'm tho thought
OF men. but I'm the series u facts actually OBJ
served and stated Mr. Drummond instances NJ
one II these the denomination from Yale II tho
evolution ~ the horse But these chapters. writ
= -
ser. are fcw compared with those IN which fact,
are few and conjecturcs frequent. and thos"
others ~ which barely the 49,, is written The
vista Of future labor f. endless. Bu, at the same
time the conviction that the story u he In the
world is "A story of movement along dehnablc
lines toward goal which can be surmiscd. y
not determined has taken hold - human thought
I'm a way unknown 10 other times. There is a
sensc-the sense, In fact upon which all agree
In which evolution IL no novelty. But the way
It has taken hold Of every thinker Is a thing
unknown 10 the past. II II IL not revoluiionlzinr
the world ~ nature. Mr.. DrummOnd says. y
has revolutionzed mans conception OF nature.
II is a vision of the world I'm which for the first
time order IS seen as universal and necessary.
while the field OF modern science changes with
such rapidly that IN almost every department
the cxt-books Of ten years ago obsolete to-
together have touched the general theory Itself
except 10 establish its strength. ts value and its
lnliversallty." In fact. beyond this certainty ~
the general theory. mere phrase. used 20 de-
scribe the phenomena attending the processes 81
n single principle. that of natural selection. has
become n law Of thought II has always been
well known that one moiety OF animated nature
lived by rending and devournr the other moety.
and this has always been count against the
wisdom and justice Of nature. But under the
name OF the "Strugge for Life" this has become
the theme Of systematic diatrbes against the
world in the name Of philosophy.
Mr.. Drummond accepts this view OF the tragedy
In nature mainly ne 10 draw the contrast be-
tween the selfish striving Of the individual alone
and the more generous effort Of each as n mem-
her Of society. lie ocvatcs altrulsm TO a level
with the Struggle for Life as biological principle.
AS a moralsi he has the right TO do this. 1t
Is impossible to base complete system Of con-
duct on sef-lnterest. But as scientist he
seems to have equalizcd two principles. one Of
which Is subordinate to the other. The one. he
says develops the active virtues OF strength and
courage, the other lays the basis for the passive
virtues sympathy and love In the later world
the seeks its end In personal aggrandlze-
ment the other In ministraton. one bcgets
competition. self-asserton. war; the other UNI
selnshness. self-effaceinent, peace. The author
points out that while the Imagination has de-
voted itself TO charging the dire effects Of In
dividualism. depicting man a wolf 10 man.
murder the habitual practice Of nature. and
painting all creation with the blood that has been
she'd the other principle has been ignored
neglected because It's position In the order OF
things seemed dubious. Now Mr. Drummond
proposes II as the other half OF the solution
which he offers for the problem Of nature lie
describes the Struggle for Life as the villain OF
the cosmical drama. and he Will have n vlrtuous
part enacted by the Struggle for Others. But
just the strongest advocates OF natural
lection gave themselves up TO tragic sentimental
ism about the havoc OF nature. 3d. It appears.
in spite Of himself. Mr.. Drummond carries over
some OF the ethical notions OF humanity to ami
NAL life. lie acknowledges that there can be no
such meaning I'm the lower reaches OF nature.
But the implications OF 1t begin To- arise at once
when "A certain level OF development Is reached.
II living cell IN The process Of casting OF a
second cell by nssion Is puttingin practice a rudi
menary atruism. It is hard to where else
ethics begins than just where life begins Mr..
Drummond says much. But then he shows
that the physical OF the division OF a cell
is a mere matter OF mathematics. The growth of
a globuar cell is attended by an increasing dis
proportion between the external surface and the
cubical mass OF the contents There comes a
time when the absorbing surface Is not great