evolution and ethics and other essays-第25部分

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certain　school　to　whom　it　affords　still　greater　satisfaction。　Consider
what　electioneering　agents　the　captains　of　the　Salvation　Army；
scattered　through　all　our　towns；　and　directed　from　a　political
〃bureau〃　in　London；　would　make！　Think　how　political　adversaries　could
be　harassed　by　our　local　attorney〃tribune　of　the　people；〃　I　mean；
and　how　a　troublesome　man；　on　the　other　side；　could　be　〃hunted　＇194＇
down〃　upon　any　convenient　charge；　whether　true　or　false；　brought　by
our　Vigilance…familiar！**

　　　　*　See　Letter　VIII。
　　　　**　See　Letter　II。

I　entirely　acquit　Mr。　Booth　of　any　complicity　in　far…reaching　schemes
of　this　kind；　but　I　did　not　write　idly　when；　in　my　first　letter；　I
gave　no　vague　warning　of　what　might　grow　out　of　the　organised　force；
drilled　in　the　habit　of　unhesitating　obedience；　which　he　has　created。

＇195＇


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　INTRODUCTORY　ESSAY。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　STRUGGLE　FOR　EXISTENCE　IN　HUMAN　SOCIETY。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　＇1888＇。

The　vast　and　varied　procession　of　events；　which　we　call　Nature；　affords
a　sublime　spectacle　and　an　inexhaustible　wealth　of　attractive　problems
to　the　speculative　observer。　If　we　confine　our　attention　to　that
aspect　which　engages　the　attention　of　the　intellect；　nature　appears　a
beautiful　and　harmonious　whole；　the　incarnation　of　a　faultless　logical
process；　from　certain　premises　in　the　past　to　an　inevitable　conclusion
in　the　future。　But　if　it　be　regarded　from　a　less　elevated；　though　more
human；　point　of　view；　if　our　moral　sympathies　are　allowed　to　influence
our　judgment；　and　we　permit　ourselves　to　criticise　our　great　mother　as
we　criticise　one　another；　then　our　verdict；　at　least　so　far　as
sentient　nature　is　concerned；　can　hardly　be　so　favourable。

In　sober　truth；　to　those　who　have　made　a　study　of　the　phenomena　of　life
as　they　exhibited　by　the　higher　forms　of　the　animal　world；　＇196＇　the
optimistic　dogma；　that　this　is　the　best　of　all　possible　worlds；　will
seem　little　better　than　a　libel　upon　possibility。　It　is　really　only
another　instance　to　be　added　to　the　many　extant；　of　the　audacity　of　a
priori　speculators　who；　having　created　God　in　their　own　image；　find　no
difficulty　in　assuming　that　the　Almighty　must　have　been　actuated　by
the　same　motives　as　themselves。　They　are　quite　sure　that；　had　any
other　course　been　practicable；　He　would　no　more　have　made　infinite
suffering　a　necessary　ingredient　of　His　handiwork　than　a　respectable
philosopher　would　have　done　the　like。

But　even　the　modified　optimism　of　the　time…honoured　thesis　of
physico…theology；　that　the　sentient　world　is；　on　the　whole；　regulated
by　principles　of　benevolence；　does　but　ill　stand　the　test　of　impartial
confrontation　with　the　facts　of　the　case。　No　doubt　it　is　quite　true
that　sentient　nature　affords　hosts　of　examples　of　subtle　contrivances
directed　towards　the　production　of　pleasure　or　the　avoidance　of　pain；
and　it　may　be　proper　to　say　that　these　are　evidences　of　benevolence。
But　if　so；　why　is　it　not　equally　proper　to　say　of　the　equally　numerous
arrangements；　the　no　less　necessary　result　of　which　is　the　production
of　pain；　that　they　are　evidences　of　malevolence？

If　a　vast　amount　of　that　which；　in　a　piece　of　human　workmanship；　we
should　call　skill；　is　＇197＇　visible　in　those　parts　of　the　organization
of　a　deer　to　which　it　owes　its　ability　to　escape　from　beasts　of　prey；
there　is　at　least　equal　skill　displayed　in　that　bodily　mechanism　of
the　wolf　which　enables　him　to　track；　and　sooner　or　later　to　bring
down；　the　deer。　Viewed　under　the　dry　light　of　science；　deer　and　wolf
are　alike　admirable；　and；　if　both　were　non…sentient　automata；　there
would　be　nothing　to　qualify　our　admiration　of　the　action　of　the　one　on
the　other。　But　the　fact　that　the　deer　suffers；　while　the　wolf　inflicts
suffering；　engages　our　moral　sympathies。　We　should　call　men　like　the
deer　innocent　and　good；　men　such　as　the　wolf　malignant　and　bad；　we
should　call　those　who　defended　the　deer　and　aided　him　to　escape　brave
and　compassionate；　and　those　who　helped　the　wolf　in　his　bloody　work
base　and　cruel。　Surely；　if　we　transfer　these　judgments　to　nature
outside　the　world　of　man　at　all；　we　must　do　so　impartially。　In　that
case；　the　goodness　of　the　right　hand　which　helps　the　deer；　and　the
wickedness　of　the　left　hand　which　eggs　on　the　wolf；　will　neutralize
one　another：　and　the　course　of　nature　will　appear　to　be　neither　moral
nor　immoral；　but　non…moral。

This　conclusion　is　thrust　upon　us　by　analogous　facts　in　every　part　of
the　sentient　world；　yet；　inasmuch　as　it　not　only　jars　upon　prevalent
prejudices；　but　arouses　the　natural　dislike　to　that　which　is　painful；
much　ingenuity　has　been　exercised　in　devising　an　escape　from　it。

From　the　theological　side；　we　are　told　that　＇198＇　this　is　a　state　of
probation；　and　that　the　seeming　injustices　and　immoralities　of　nature
will　be　compensated　by　and　by。　But　how　this　compensation　is　to　be
effected；　in　the　case　of　the　great　majority　of　sentient　things；　is　not
clear。　I　apprehend　that　no　one　is　seriously　prepared　to　maintain　that
the　ghosts　of　all　the　myriads　of　generations　of　herbivorous　animals
which　lived　during　the　millions　of　years　of　the　earth's　duration；
before　the　appearance　of　man；　and　which　have　all　that　time　been
tormented　and　devoured　by　carnivores；　are　to　be　compensated　by　a
perennial　existence　in　clover；　while　the　ghosts　of　carnivores　are　to
go　to　some　kennel　where　there　is　neither　a　pan　of　water　nor　a　bone
with　any　meat　on　it。　Besides；　from　the　point　of　view　of　morality；　the
last　stage　of　things　would　be　worse　than　the　first。　For　the
carnivores；　however　brutal　and　sanguinary；　have　only　done　that　which；
if　there　is　any　evidence　of　contrivance　in　the　world；　they　were
expressly　constructed　to　do。　　Moreover；　carnivores　and　herbivores
alike　have　been　subject　to　all　the　miseries　incidental　to　old　age；
disease；　and　over…multiplication；　and　both　might　well　put　in　a　claim
for　〃compensation〃　on　this　score。

On　the　evolutionist　side；　on　the　other　hand；　we　are　told　to　take
comfort　from　the　reflection　that　the　terrible　struggle　for　existence
tends　to　final　good；　and　that　the　suffering　of　the　ancestor　is　paid
for　by　the　increased　perfection　of　the　progeny。　There　would　be
something　in　this　argument　if；　in　＇199＇　Chinese　fashion；　the　present
generation　could　pay　its　debts　to　its　ancestors；　otherwise　it　is　not
clear　what　compensation　the　Eohippus　gets　for　his　sorrows　in　the　fact
that；　some　millions　of　years　afterwards；　one　of　his　descendants　wins
the　Derby。　And；　again；　it　is　an　error　to　imagine　that　evolution
signifies　a　constant　tendency　to　increased　perfection。　That　process
undoubtedly　involves　a　constant　remodelling　of　the　organism　in
adaptation　to　new　conditions；　but　it　depends　on　the　nature　of　those
conditions　whether　the　direction　of　the　modifications　effected　shall
be　upward　or　downward。　Retrogressive　is　as　practicable　as　progressive
metamorphosis。　If　what　the　physical　philosophers　tell　us；　that　our
globe　has　been　in　a　state　of　fusion；　and；　like　the　sun；　is　gradually
cooling　down；　is　true；　then　the　time　must　come　when　evolution　will
mean　adaptation　to　an　universal　winter；　and　all　forms　of　life　will　die
out；　except　such　low　and　simple　organisms　as　the　Diatom　of　the　arctic
and　antarctic　ice　and　the　Protococcus　of　the　red　snow。　If　our　globe　is
proceeding　from　a　condition　in　which　it　was　too　hot　to　support　any　but
the　lowest　living　thing　to　a　condition　in　which　it　will　be　too　cold　to
permit　of　the　existence　of　any　others；　the　course　of　life　upon　its
surface　must　describe　a　trajectory　like　that　of　a　ball　fired　from　a
mortar；　and　the　sinking　half　of　that　course　is　as　much　a　part　of　the
general　process　of　evolution　as　the　rising。

From　the　point　of　view　of　the　moralist　the　＇200＇　animal　world　is　on
about　the　same　level　as　a　gladiator's　show。　The　creatures　are　fairly
well　treated；　and　set　to　fightwhereby　the　strongest；　the　swiftest；
and　the　cunningest　live　to　fight　another　day。　The　spectator　has　no
need　to　turn　his　thumbs　down；　as　no　quarter　is　given。　He　must　admit
that　the　skill　and　training　displayed　are　wonderful。　But　he　must　shut
his　eyes　if　he　would　not　see　that　more　or　less　enduring　suffering　is
the　meed　of　both　vanquished　and　victor。　And　since　the　great　game　is
going　on　in　every　corner　of　the　world；　thousands　of　times　a　minute；
since；　were　our　ears　sharp　enough；　we　need　not　descend　to　the　gates　of
hell　to　hear

　　　　。　。　。　sospiri；　pianti；　ed　alti　guai。
　　　　Voci　alte　e　floche；　e　suon　di　man　con　elle

it　seems　to　follow　that；　if　the　world　is　governed　by　benevolence；　it
must　be　a　different　sort　of　benevolence　from　that　of　John　Howard。

But　the　old　Babylonians　wisely　symbolized　Nature　by　their　great
goddess　Istar；　who　combined　the　attributes　of　Aphrodite　with　those　of
Ares。　Her　terrible　aspect　is　not　to　be　ignored　or　covered　up　with
shams；　but　it　is　not　the　only　one。　If　the　optimism　of　Leibnitz　is　a
foolish　though　pleasant　dream；　the　pessimism　of　Schopenhauer　is　a
nightmare；　the　more　foolish　because　of　its　hideousness。　Error　which　is
not　pleasant　is　surely　the　worst　form　of　wrong。

＇201＇　This　may　not　be　the　best　of　all　possible　worlds；　but　to　say　that
it　is　the　worst　is　mere　petulant　nonsense。　A　worn…out　voluptuary　may
find　nothing　good　under　the　sun；　or　a　vain　and　inexperienced　youth；
who　cannot　get　the　moon　he　cries　for；　may　vent　his　irritation　in
pessimistic　moanings；　but　there　can　be　no　doubt　in　the　mind　of　any
reasonable　person　that　mankind　could；　would；　and　in　fact　do；　get　on
fairly　well　with　vastly　less　happiness　and　far　more　misery　than　find
their　way　into　the　lives　of　nine　people　out　of　ten。　If　each　and　all　of
us　had　been　visited　by　an　attack　of　neuralgia；　or　of　extreme　mental
depression；　for　one　hour　in　every　twenty…foura　supposition　which
many　tolerably　vigorous　people　know；　to　their　cost；　is　not
extravagantthe　burden　of　life　would　have　been　immensely　increased
without　much　practical　hindrance　to　its　general　course。　Men　with　any
manhood　in　them　find　life　quite　worth　living　under　worse　conditions
than　these。

There　is　another　sufficiently　obvious　fact；　which　renders　the
hypothesis　that　the　course　of　sentient　nature　is　dictated　by
malevolence　quite　untenable。　A　vast　multitude