The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-11-25

10 Is pointed cut that human society took its
rkc in the organic necessities expressed by
imitation and by the sympathetic cmrtians; and
thai. In the struggle for existence with the state
OF nature, ard with Other ,o,ir:ics rs part Of 1t.
those societies In which men wtrctlns led to close
cooperation Ind n great Sdvan'age. hut. since
cGri"mai, -te;sIaeH raur, or 'rssof tho faculties
common to I'll the resi-. and especially n fun
share ~ the desire tor unlimited sc.f. GratiGca-
tiOa. the ]strurGi" irr 's.is. ence within society
could Only Ia gradually eliminated. So long as
sny OF II remained. society continued to he an
imperfect instrument NJ the struggle for exist
once, and consequently was improbable by the
s~elective influence of that struggle. other
things bei.s allie. the tribe OF savages
IN which nrd"r was hest maintained, in
which ,li,rc was nIusl security within
the tribe. ;rI tho mos. loyal. mutual
support nntsidcit, Nvonll be th" survivors. Prof.
HHxlcy trrrs this gradual strengthening OF the
social bond, which, though IL arrests the struggle
for existence inside society. improves up to a
certain point the chances OF society as a cor
pirate wiitfe I'm he 'D~inic struggle the ethical
pfoce-s. lie undprinkcS In show That. when the
ethical process has lGEhuccl so far rs to Sc ,Ire
every member n thc society in the possession of
the means Of existence. tho struggle for exist
enrn as between mrA Gnd man within that
society Is Il an ~ T., ut an rri. lie proncunccs
10 'undcnLthle that tile most highly civilized
sscietIcs have substantially reached this position.
whence IL follows that, So tar ~ they are CON
crrnC'l, the struggle for existence ran play no
important Ialrt within therI. In other words,
thu kind OF evolution which is brought about in
the state Of nature cannot take place.
The author OF this lecture next essays to dem
ons.rate that direct selection. after the fashion
OF III" hHr,icnltrrist and the breeder, has neither
PLAYED nor cna play any important part In the
evolution Of human society; because. apar; from
other reasons. he cannot sec how such selection
could be- prncti,ed without "a serious weakness.
nay. the destruction. OF the bonds which
hold society together. To Prof. HUXLEY IL
seems evident that men who are accustomed
TO contemplate the active or passive extirpation
OF the weak. the unfortunate. and the superiu-
Gus; who should justify that conduct on tho
ground that IL has the sanction Of the cosmlc
process, and Is the only way to insure the prog
ress of the race; who. II they would be consist
ent, should rank medicine among the black arts
and count the physician a mischievous preserver
of the unfit; on whose matrimonial ventures
the principles of the stud should have the chief
influence: whose whole lives, therefore, should
be an education in the art OF suppressing natural
affection and sympathy; would not be likely 10
have any large stock Of these commodities left.
": without them there Is no conscience, nor
any restraint on the conduct of men. except the
calculation OF self-interest. the balancing of
certain present qualification against doubt
full future pains; and experience tells us how
al alHn Y. WaAwa