按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Note further； that their carnivorous enemies not only remove from herbivorous herds individuals past their prime； but also weed out the sickly； the malformed； and the least fleet or powerful。 By the aid of which purifying process； as well as by the fighting so universal in the pairing season； all vitiation of the race through the multiplication of its inferior samples is prevented； and the maintenance of a constitution completely adapted to surrounding conditions； and therefore most productive of happiness； is ensured。 〃The development of the higher creation is a progress towards a form of being capable of a happiness undiminished by these drawbacks。 It is in the human race that the consummation is to be accomplished。 Civilization is the last stage of its accomplishment。 And the ideal man is the man in whom all the conditions of that accomplishment are fulfilled。 Meanwhile； the well…being of existing humanity； and the unfolding of it into this ultimate perfection； are both secured by that same beneficent； though severe discipline； to which the animate creation at large is subject： a discipline which is pitiless in the working out of good： a felicity pursuing law which never swerves for the avoidance of partial and temporary suffering。 The poverty of the incapable； the distresses that came upon the imprudent； the starvation of the idle； and those shoulderings aside of the weak by the strong； which leave so many 'in shallows and in miseries；' are the decrees of a large； far…seeing benevolence。〃
******
〃To become fit for the social state； man has not only to lose his savageness； but he has to acquire the capacities needful for civilized life。 Power of application must be developed； such modification of the intellect as shall qualify it for its new tasks must take place； and； above all； there must be gained the ability to sacrifice a small mediate gratification for a future great one。 The state of transition will of course be an unhappy state。 Misery inevitably results from incongruity between constitutions and conditions。 All these evils which afflict us； and seem to the uninitiated the obvious consequences of this or that removable cause； are unavoidable attendants on the adaptation now in progress。 Humanity is being pressed against the inexorable necessities of its new position is being moulded into harmony with them； and has to bear the resulting unhappiness as best it can。 The process must be undergone； and the sufferings must be endured。 No power on earth； no cunningly…devised laws of statesmen； no world…rectifying schemes of the humane； no communist panaceas； no reforms that men ever did broach or ever will broach； can diminish them one jot。 Intensified they may be； and are； and in preventing their intensification； the philanthropic will find ample scope for exertion。 But there is bound up with the changes a normal amount of suffering； which cannot be lessened without altering the very laws of life。〃
******
〃Of course； in so far as the severity of this process is mitigated by the spontaneous sympathy of men for each other； it is proper that it should be mitigated： albeit there is unquestionably harm done when sympathy is shown； without any regard to ultimate results。 But the drawbacks hence arising are nothing like commensurate with the benefits otherwise conferred。 Only when this sympathy prompts to a breach of equity only when it originates an interference forbidden by the law of equal freedom only when； by so doing； it suspends in some particular department of life the relationship between constitution and conditions； does it work pure evil。 Then； however； it defeats its own end。 Instead of diminishing suffering； it eventually increases it。 It favours the multiplication of those worst fitted for existence； and； by consequence； hinders the multiplication of those best fitted for existence leaving； as it does； less room for them。 It tends to fill the world with those to whom life will bring most pain； and tends to keep out of it those to whom life will bring most pleasure。 It inflicts positive misery； and prevents positive happiness。〃 Social Statics； pp。 322…5 and pp。 380…1 （edition of 1851）。
The lapse of a third of a century since these passages were published； has brought me no reasons for retreating from the position taken up in them。 Contrariwise； it has brought a vast amount of evidence strengthening that position。 The beneficial results of the survival of the fittest； prove to be immeasurably greater than those above indicated。 The process of 〃natural selection；〃 as Mr Darwin called it； co…operating with a tendency to variation and to inheritance of variations； he has shown to be a chief cause （though not； I believe； the sole cause） of that evolution through which all living things； beginning with the lowest and diverging and re…diverging as they evolved； have reached their present degrees of organization and adaptation to their modes of life。 So familiar has this truth become that some apology seems needed for naming it。 And yet； strange to say； now that this truth is recognized by most cultivated people now that the beneficent working of the survival of the fittest has been so impressed on them that； much more than people in past times； they might be expected to hesitate before neutralizing its action now more than ever before in the history of the world； are they doing all they can to further survival of the unfittest！ But the postulate that men are rational beings； continually leads one to draw inferences which prove to be extremely wide of the mark。（25*） 〃Yes truly； your principle is derived from the lives of brutes； and is a brutal principle。 You will not persuade me that men are to be under the discipline which animals are under。 I care nothing for your natural…history arguments。 My conscience shows me that the feeble and the suffering must be helped； and if selfish people won't help them； they must be forced by law to help them。 Don't tell me that the milk of human kindness is to be reserved for the relations between individuals； and that Governments must be the administrators of nothing but hard justice。 Every man with sympathy in him must feel that hunger and pain and squalor must be prevented； and that if private agencies do not suffice； then public agencies must be established。〃 Such is the kind of response which I expect to be made by nine out of ten。 In some of them it will doubtless result from a fellow…feeling so acute that they cannot contemplate human misery without an impatience which excludes all thoughts of remote results。 Concerning the susceptibilities of the rest； we may； however； be somewhat sceptical。 Persons who； now in this case and now in that； are angry if； to maintain our supposed national 〃interests〃 or national 〃prestige；〃 those in authority do not promptly send out some thousands of men to be partially destroyed while destroying other thousands of men whose intentions we suspect； or whose institutions we think dangerous to us； or whose territory our colonists want； cannot after all be so tender in feeling that contemplating the hardships of the poor is intolerable to them。 Little admiration need be felt for the professed sympathies of people who urge on a policy which breaks up progressing societies； and who then look on with Cynical indifference at the weltering confusion left behind； with all its entailed suffering and death。 Those who； when Boers asserting their independence successfully resisted us； were angry because British 〃honour〃 was not maintained by fighting to avenge a defeat； at the cost of more mortality and misery to our own soldiers and their antagonists； cannot have so much 〃enthusiasm of humanity〃 as protests like that indicated above would lead one to expect。 Indeed； along with this sensitiveness which they profess will not let them look with patience on the pains of 〃the battle of life〃 as it quietly goes on around； they appear to have a callousness which not only tolerates but enjoys contemplating the pains of battles of the literal kind； as one sees in the demand for frustrated papers containing scenes of carnage； and in the greediness with which detailed accounts of bloody engagements are read。 We may reasonably have our doubts about men whose feelings are such that they cannot bear the thought of hardships borne； mostly by the idle and the improvident； and who； nevertheless； have demanded thirty…one editions of The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World； in which they may revel in accounts of slaughter。 Nay； even still more remarkable is the contrast between the professed tender…heartedness and the actual hard…heartedness of those who would reverse the normal course of things that mediate miseries may be prevented； even at the cost of greater miseries hereafter produced。 For on other occasions you may hear them； with utter disregard of bloodshed and death； contend that in the interests of humanity at large it is well that the inferior races should be exterminated and their places occupied by the superior races。 So that； marvellous to relate； though they cannot think with calmness of the evils accompanying the struggle for existence as it is carried on without