evolution and ethics and other essays-第4章

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same　process　takes　place　among　the　varieties　until；　for　example；　the
wild　kale　becomes　a　cabbage；　or　the　wild　Viola　tricolor；　a　prize
pansy。

＇16＇


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　V。

The　process　of　colonisation　presents　analogies　to　the　formation　of　a
garden　which　are　highly　instructive。　Suppose　a　shipload　of　English
colonists　sent　to　form　a　settlement；　in　such　a　country　as　Tasmania　was
in　the　middle　of　the　last　century。　On　landing；　they　find　themselves　in
the　midst　of　a　state　of　nature；　widely　different　from　that　left　behind
them　in　everything　but　the　most　general　physical　conditions。　The
common　plants；　the　common　birds　and　quadrupeds；　are　as　totally
distinct　as　the　men　from　anything　to　be　seen　on　the　side　of　the　globe
from　which　they　come。　The　colonists　proceed　to　put　an　end　to　this
state　of　things　over　as　large　an　area　as　they　desire　to　occupy。　　They
clear　away　the　native　vegetation；　extirpate　or　drive　out　the　animal
population；　so　far　as　may　be　necessary；　and　take　measures　to　defend
themselves　from　the　re…immigration　of　either。　In　their　place；　they
introduce　English　grain　and　fruit　trees；　English　dogs；　sheep；　cattle；
horses；　and　English　men；　in　fact；　they　set　up　a　new　Flora　and　Fauna　and
a　new　variety　of　mankind；　within　the　old　state　of　nature。　Their　farms
and　pastures　represent　a　garden　on　a　great　scale；　and　themselves　the
gardeners　who　have　to　keep　it　up；　in　watchful　antagonism　to　the　old
regime。　Considered　as　a　whole；　the　colony　is　a　composite　unit
introduced　into　the　old　state　of　nature；　and；　＇17＇　thenceforward；　a
competitor　in　the　struggle　for　existence；　to　conquer　or　be　vanquished。

Under　the　conditions　supposed；　there　is　no　doubt　of　the　result；　if　the
work　of　the　colonists　be　carried　out　energetically　and　with
intelligent　combination　of　all　their　forces。　On　the　other　hand；　if
they　are　slothful；　stupid；　and　careless；　or　if　they　waste　their
energies　in　contests　with　one　another；　the　chances　are　that　the　old
state　of　nature　will　have　the　best　of　it。　The　native　savage　will
destroy　the　immigrant　civilized　man；　of　the　English　animals　and　plants
some　will　be　extirpated　by　their　indigenous　rivals；　others　will　pass
into　the　feral　state　and　themselves　become　components　of　the　state　of
nature。　In　a　few　decades；　all　other　traces　of　the　settlement　will　have
vanished。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　VI。

Let　us　now　imagine　that　some　administrative　authority；　as　far　superior
in　power　and　intelligence　to　men；　as　men　are　to　their　cattle；　is　set
over　the　colony；　charged　to　deal　with　its　human　elements　in　such　a
manner　as　to　assure　the　victory　of　the　settlement　over　the
antagonistic　influences　of　the　state　of　nature　in　which　it　is　set
down。　He　would　proceed　in　the　same　fashion　as　that　in　which　the
gardener　dealt　with　his　garden。　In　the　first　place；　he　would；　as　far
as　possible；　put　a　＇18＇　stop　to　the　influence　of　external　competition
by　thoroughly　extirpating　and　excluding　the　native　rivals；　whether
men；　beasts；　or　plants。　And　our　administrator　would　select　his　human
agents；　with　a　view　to　his　ideal　of　a　successful　colony；　just　as　the
gardener　selects　his　plants　with　a　view　to　his　ideal　of　useful　or
beautiful　products。

In　the　second　place；　in　order　that　no　struggle　for　the　means　of
existence　between　these　human　agents　should　weaken　the　efficiency　of
the　corporate　whole　in　the　battle　with　the　state　of　nature；　he　would
make　arrangements　by　which　each　would　be　provided　with　those　means；
and　would　be　relieved　from　the　fear　of　being　deprived　of　them　by　his
stronger　or　more　cunning　fellows。　　Laws；　sanctioned　by　the　combined
force　of　the　colony；　would　restrain　the　self…assertion　of　each　man
within　the　limits　required　for　the　maintenance　of　peace。　In　other
words；　the　cosmic　struggle　for　existence；　as　between　man　and　man；
would　be　rigorously　suppressed；　and　selection；　by　its　means；　would　be
as　completely　excluded　as　it　is　from　the　garden。

At　the　same　time；　the　obstacles　to　the　full　development　of　the
capacities　of　the　colonists　by　other　conditions　of　the　state　of　nature
than　those　already　mentioned；　would　be　removed　by　the　creation　of
artificial　conditions　of　existence　of　a　more　favourable　character：
Protection　against　extremes　of　heat　and　cold　would　＇19＇　be　afforded　by
houses　and　clothing；　drainage　and　irrigation　works　would　antagonise
the　effects　of　excessive　rain　and　excessive　drought；　roads；　bridges；
canals；　carriages；　and　ships　would　overcome　the　natural　obstacles　to
locomotion　and　transport；　mechanical　engines　would　supplement　the
natural　strength　of　men　and　of　their　draught　animals；　hygienic
precautions　would　check；　or　remove；　the　natural　causes　of　disease。
With　every　step　of　this　progress　in　civilization；　the　colonists　would
become　more　and　more　independent　of　the　state　of　nature；　more　and
more；　their　lives　would　be　conditioned　by　a　state　of　art。　In　order　to
attain　his　ends；　the　administrator　would　have　to　avail　himself　of　the
courage；　industry；　and　co…operative　intelligence　of　the　settlers；　and
it　is　plain　that　the　interest　of　the　community　would　be　best　served　by
increasing　the　proportion　of　persons　who　possess　such　qualities；　and
diminishing　that　of　persons　devoid　of　them。　In　other　words；　by
selection　directed　towards　an　ideal。

Thus　the　administrator　might　look　to　the　establishment　of　an　earthly
paradise；　a　true　garden　of　Eden；　in　which　all　things　should　work
together　towards　the　well…being　of　the　gardeners：　within　which　the
cosmic　process；　the　coarse　struggle　for　existence　of　the　state　of
nature；　should　be　abolished；　in　which　that　state　should　be　replaced　by
a　state　of　art；　＇20＇　where　every　plant　and　every　lower　animal　should
be　adapted　to　human　wants；　and　would　perish　if　human　supervision　and
protection　were　withdrawn；　where　men　themselves　should　have　been
selected；　with　a　view　to　their　efficiency　as　organs　for　the
performance　of　the　functions　of　a　perfected　society。　And　this　ideal
polity　would　have　been　brought　about；　not　by　gradually　adjusting　the
men　to　the　conditions　around　them；　but　by　creating　artificial
conditions　for　them；　not　by　allowing　the　free　play　of　the　struggle　for
existence；　but　by　excluding　that　struggle；　and　by　substituting
selection　directed　towards　the　administrator's　ideal　for　the　selection
it　exercises。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　VII。

But　the　Eden　would　have　its　serpent；　and　a　very　subtle　beast　too。　Man
shares　with　the　rest　of　the　living　world　the　mighty　instinct　of
reproduction　and　its　consequence；　the　tendency　to　multiply　with　great
rapidity。　The　better　the　measures　of　the　administrator　achieved　their
object；　the　more　completely　the　destructive　agencies　of　the　state　of
nature　were　defeated；　the　less　would　that　multiplication　be　checked。

On　the　other　hand；　within　the　colony；　the　enforcement　of　peace；　which
deprives　every　man　of　the　power　to　take　away　the　means　of　existence
from　another；　simply　because　he　is　the　stronger；　＇21＇　would　have　put
an　end　to　the　struggle　for　existence　between　the　colonists；　and　the
competition　for　the　commodities　of　existence；　which　would　alone
remain；　is　no　check　upon　population。

Thus；　as　soon　as　the　colonists　began　to　multiply；　the　administrator
would　have　to　face　the　tendency　to　the　reintroduction　of　the　cosmic
struggle　into　his　artificial　fabric；　in　consequence　of　the
competition；　not　merely　for　the　commodities；　but　for　the　means　of
existence。　When　the　colony　reached　the　limit　of　possible　expansion；
the　surplus　population　must　be　disposed　of　somehow；　or　the　fierce
struggle　for　existence　must　recommence　and　destroy　that　peace；　which
is　the　fundamental　condition　of　the　maintenance　of　the　state　of　art
against　the　state　of　nature。

Supposing　the　administrator　to　be　guided　by　purely　scientific
considerations；　he　would；　like　the　gardener；　meet　this　most　serious
difficulty　by　systematic　extirpation；　or　exclusion；　of　the　superfluous。
The　hopelessly　diseased；　the　infirm　aged；　the　weak　or　deformed　in　body
or　in　mind；　the　excess　of　infants　born；　would　be　put　away；　as　the
gardener　pulls　up　defective　and　superfluous　plants；　or　the　breeder
destroys　undesirable　cattle。　Only　the　strong　and　the　healthy；
carefully　matched；　with　a　view　to　the　progeny　best　adapted　to　the
purposes　of　the　administrator；　would　be　permitted　to　perpetuate　their
kind。

＇22＇


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　VIII。

Of　the　more　thoroughgoing　of　the　multitudinous　attempts　to　apply　the
principles　of　cosmic　evolution；　or　what　are　supposed　to　be　such；　to
social　and　political　problems；　which　have　appeared　of　late　years；　a
considerable　proportion　appear　to　me　to　be　based　upon　the　notion　that
human　society　is　competent　to　furnish；　from　its　own　resources；　an
administrator　of　the　kind　I　have　imagined。　The　pigeons；　in　short；　are
to　be　their　own　Sir　John　Sebright。*　A　despotic　government；　whether
individual　or　collective；　is　to　be　endowed　with　the　preternatural
intelligence；　and　with　what；　I　am　afraid；　many　will　consider　the
preternatural　ruthlessness；　required　for　the　purpose　of　carrying　out
the　principle　of　improvement　by　selection；　with　the　somewhat　drastic
thoroughness　upon　which　the　success　of　the　method　depends。　　Experience
certainly　does　not　justify　us　in　limiting　the　ruthlessness　of
individual　〃saviours　of　society〃；　and；　on　the　well…known　grounds　of
the　aphorism　which　denies　both　body　and　soul　to　corporations；　it　seems
probable　（indeed　the　belief　is　not　without　support　in　history）　that　a
collective　despotism；　a　mob　got　to　believe　in　its　own　divine　right　by
demagogic　missionaries；　would　be　capable　of　more　thorough　＇23＇　work　in
this　direction　than　any　single　tyrant；　puffed　up　with　the　same
illusion；　has　ever　achieved。　　But　intelligence　is　another　affair。　The
fact　that　〃saviours　of　society〃　take　to　that　trade　is　evidence　enough
that　they　have　none　to　spare。　And　such　as　they　possess　is　generally
sold　to　the　capitalists　of　physical　force　on　whose　resources　they
depend。　However；　I　doubt　whether　even　the　keenest　judge　of　character；
if　he　had　before　him　a　hundred　boys　and　girls　under　fourteen；　could
pick　out；　with　the　least　chance　of　success；　those　who　should　be　kept；
as　certain　to　be　serviceable　members　of　the　polity；　and　those　who
should　be　chloroformed；　as　equally　sure　to　be　stupid；　idle；　or
vicious。　The　〃points〃　of　a　good　or　of　a　bad　citizen　are　really　far
harder　to　discern　than　those　of　a　puppy　or　a　short…horn　calf；　many　do
not　show　themselves　before　the　practical　difficulties　of　life
stimulate　manhood　to　full　exertion。　And　by　that　time　the　mischief　is
done。　The　evil　stock；　if　it　be　one；　has　had　time　to　multiply；　and
selection　is　nullified。

　　　　*　Not　that　the　conception　of　such　a　society　is　necessarily　based
　　　　upon　the　idea　of　evolution。　The　Platonic　state　testifies　to　the
　　　　contrary。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　IX。

I　have　other　reasons　for　fearing　that　this　logical　ideal　of
evolutionary　regimentationthis　pigeon…fanciers'　polityis
unattainable。　In　the　absence　of　any　such　a　severely　scientific
administrator　as　we　have　been　dreaming　of；　human　society　＇24＇　is　kept
together　by　bonds　of　such　a　singular　character；　that　the　attempt　to
perfect　society　after　his　fashion　would　run　serious　risk　of　loosening
them。　Social　organization　is　not　peculiar　to　men。　Other　societies；
such　as　those　constitut