of Sir Henry James； was expressed by the Committee； with the Trust
Deed of 1891； which has been so sedulously flaunted before the public；
in full view。
The Committee made a suggestion for the improvement of this very
unsatisfactory state of things； but the exact value set upon it by the
suggestors should be carefully considered （p。37）。
〃The Committee are fully aware that if the views thus expressed are
carried out； the safeguards and checks created will not be sufficient
for all purposes absolutely to prevent possible dealing with the
property and moneys inconsistent with the purposes to which they are
intended to be devoted。〃
In fact； they are content to express the very modest hope that 〃if the
suggestion made be acted upon； some hindrance will thereby be placed in
the way of any one acting dishonestly in respect of the disposal of
the property and moneys referred to。〃
I do not know； and； under the circumstances； I cannot say I much care；
whether the suggestions of the Committee have； or have not； been acted
upon。 Whether or not； the fact remains that an unscrupulous 〃General〃
will have a pretty free hand； notwithstanding 〃some〃 hindrance。
Thus； the judgment of the highly authoritative； and certainly not
hostile； Committee of 1892； upon the issues with which they concerned
themselves is hardly such as to inspire enthusiastic confidence。 And
it is further to be borne in mind that they carefully excluded from
their duties 〃any examination of the principles； government； teaching；
or methods of the Salvation Army as a religious organization； or of
its affairs〃 except so far as they related to the administration of
the moneys collected by the 〃Darkest England〃 appeal。
Consequently； the most important questions discussed in my letters were
not in any way touched by the Committee。 Even if their report had been
far more favourable to the 〃Darkest England〃 scheme than it is； if it
had really assured the contributors that the funds raised were fully
secured against malversation； the objections； on social and political
grounds； to Mr。 Booth's despotic organization； with its thousands of
docile satellites pledged to blind obedience； set forth in the
letters； would be in no degree weakened。 The 〃sixpennyworth of good〃
would still be out…weighed by the 〃shillingsworth of harm〃； if indeed
the relative worth； or unworth； of the latter should not be rated in
pounds rather than in shillings。
What would one not give for the opinion of the financial members of
the Committee about the famous Bank； and that of the legal experts
about the proposed 〃tribunes of the people〃？
HODESLEA； EASTBOURNE；
July； 1894。
CONTENTS
I
PAGE
EVOLUTION AND ETHICS。 PROLEGOMENA ＇1894＇ 。 。 。 。 。 。 1
II
EVOLUTION AND ETHICS ＇1893＇。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。46
III
SCIENCE AND MORALS ＇1886＇。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 117
IV
CAPITALTHE MOTHER OF LABOUR ＇1890＇ 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 147
V
SOCIAL DISEASES AND WORSE REMEDIES ＇1891＇。 。 。 。 。 188
Preface。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 188
The Struggle for Existence in Human Society。 195
Letters to the Times 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 237
Legal Opinions 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 312
The Articles of War of the Salvation Army。 。 321
＇1＇
I。
EVOLUTION AND ETHICS。
PROLEGOMENA。
＇1894。＇
I。
IT may be safely assumed that； two thousand years ago； before Caesar
set foot in southern Britain； the whole country…side visible from the
windows of the room in which I write； was in what is called 〃the state
of nature。〃 Except； it may be； by raising a few sepulchral mounds；
such as those which still； here and there； break the flowing contours
of the downs； man's hands had made no mark upon it； and the thin veil
of vegetation which overspread the broad…backed heights and the
shelving sides of the coombs was unaffected by his industry。 The
native grasses and weeds； the scattered patches of gorse； contended
with one another for the possession of the scanty surface soil； they
fought against the droughts of summer； the frosts of winter； and the
furious gales which swept； with unbroken force； now from the ＇2＇
Atlantic； and now from the North Sea； at all times of the year； they
filled up； as they best might； the gaps made in their ranks by all
sorts of underground and overground animal ravagers。 One year with
another； an average population； the floating balance of the unceasing
struggle for existence among the indigenous plants； maintained itself。
It is as little to be doubted； that an essentially similar state of
nature prevailed； in this region； for many thousand years before the
coming of Caesar； and there is no assignable reason for denying that
it might continue to exist through an equally prolonged futurity；
except for the intervention of man。
Reckoned by our customary standards of duration； the native vegetation；
like the 〃everlasting hills〃 which it clothes； seems a type of
permanence。 The little Amarella Gentians； which abound in some places
to…day； are the descendants of those that were trodden underfoot； by
the prehistoric savages who have left their flint tools； about； here
and there； and they followed ancestors which； in the climate of the
glacial epoch； probably flourished better than they do now。 Compared
with the long past of this humble plant； all the history of civilized
men is but an episode。
Yet nothing is more certain than that； measured by the liberal scale
of time…keeping of the universe； this present state of nature； however
it may seem to have gone and to go on for ever； is ＇3＇ but a fleeting
phase of her infinite variety； merely the last of the series of
changes which the earth's surface has undergone in the course of the
millions of years of its existence。 Turn back a square foot of the
thin turf； and the solid foundation of the land； exposed in cliffs of
chalk five hundred feet high on the adjacent shore； yields full
assurance of a time when the sea covered the site of the 〃everlasting
hills〃； and when the vegetation of what land lay nearest； was as
different from the present Flora of the Sussex downs； as that of
Central Africa now is。* No less certain is it that； between the time
during which the chalk was formed and that at which the original turf
came into existence； thousands of centuries elapsed； in the course of
which； the state of nature of the ages during which the chalk was
deposited； passed into that which now is； by changes so slow that； in
the coming and going of the generations of men； had such witnessed
them； the contemporary； conditions would have seemed to be unchanging
and unchangeable。
* See 〃On a piece of Chalk〃 in the preceding volume of these
Essays （vol。 viii。 p。 1）。
But it is also certain that； before the deposition of the chalk； a
vastly longer period had elapsed； throughout which it is easy to
follow the traces of the same process of ceaseless modification and of
the internecine struggle for existence of living things； and that even
when we can get no further ＇4＇ back； it is not because there is any
reason to think we have reached the beginning； but because the trail
of the most ancient life remains hidden； or has become obliterated。
Thus that state of nature of the world of plants which we began by
considering； is far from possessing the attribute of permanence。 Rather
its very essence is impermanence。 It may have lasted twenty or thirty
thousand years； it may last for twenty or thirty thousand years more；
without obvious change； but； as surely as it has followed upon a very
different state； so it will be followed by an equally different
condition。 That which endures is not one or another association of
living forms； but the process of which the cosmos is the product； and
of which these are among the transitory expressions。 And in the living
world； one of the most characteristic features of this cosmic process
is the struggle for existence； the competition of each with all； the
result of which is the selection； that is to say； the survival of
those forms which； on the whole； are best adapted； to the conditions
which at any period obtain； and which are； therefore； in that respect；
and only in that respect； the fittest。* The acme reached by the cosmic
＇5＇ process in the vegetation of the downs is seen in the turf； with
its weeds and gorse。 Under the conditions； they have come out of the
struggle victorious； and； by surviving； have proved that they are the
fittest to survive。
* That every theory of evolution must be consistent not merely
with progressive development； but with indefinite persistence
in the same condition and with retrogressive modification； is a
point which I have insisted upon repeatedly from the year 1862
till now。 See Collected Essays； vol。 ii。 pp。 461…89； vol。 iii。
p。 33； vol。 viii。 p。 304。 In the address on 〃Geological
Contemporaneity and Persistent Ty