〃Administrative Nihilism。〃 Collected Essays； vol。 i。 p。 54。
I think it must be obvious to every one； that； whether we consider the
internal or the external interests of society； it is desirable they
should be in the hands of those who are endowed with the largest share
of energy； of industry； of intellectual capacity； of tenacity of
purpose； while they are not devoid of sympathetic humanity； and； in so
far as the struggle for the means of enjoyment tends to place such men
in possession of wealth and influence； it is a process which tends to
the good of society。 But the process； as we have seen； has no real
resemblance to that which adapts living beings to current conditions
in the state of nature； nor any to the artificial selection of the
horticulturist。
＇43＇ To return； once more； to the parallel of horticulture。 In the
modern world； the gardening of men by themselves is practically
restricted to the performance； not of selection； but of that other
function of the gardener； the creation of conditions more favourable
than those of the state of nature； to the end of facilitating the free
expansion of the innate faculties of the citizen； so far as it is
consistent with the general good。 And the business of the moral and
political philosopher appears to me to be the ascertainment； by the
same method of observation； experiment； and ratiocination； as is
practised in other kinds of scientific work； of the course of conduct
which will best conduce to that end。
But； supposing this course of conduct to be scientifically determined
and carefully followed out； it cannot put an end to the struggle for
existence in the state of nature； and it will not so much as tend； in
any way； to the adaptation of man to that state。 Even should the whole
human race be absorbed in one vast polity； within which 〃absolute
political justice〃 reigns； the struggle for existence with the state
of nature outside it； and the tendency to the return to the struggle
within； in consequence of over…multiplication； will remain； and；
unless men's inheritance from the ancestors who fought a good fight in
the state of ＇44＇ nature； their dose of original sin； is rooted out by
some method at present unrevealed； at any rate to disbelievers in
supernaturalism； every child born into the world will still bring with
him the instinct of unlimited self…assertion。 He will have to learn
the lesson of self…restraint and renunciation。 But the practice of
self…restraint and renunciation is not happiness； though it may be
something much better。
That man； as a 〃political animal；〃 is susceptible of a vast amount of
improvement； by education； by instruction； and by the application of
his intelligence to the adaptation of the conditions of life to his
higher needs； I entertain not the slightest doubt。 But so long as he
remains liable to error； intellectual or moral； so long as he is
compelled to be perpetually on guard against the cosmic forces； whose
ends are not his ends； without and within himself； so long as he is
haunted by inexpugnable memories and hopeless aspirations； so long as
the recognition of his intellectual limitations forces him to
acknowledge his incapacity to penetrate the mystery of existence； the
prospect of attaining untroubled happiness； or of a state which can；
even remotely； deserve the title of perfection； appears to me to be as
misleading an illusion as ever was dangled before the eyes of poor
humanity。 And there have been many of them。
That which lies before the human race is a ＇45＇ constant struggle to
maintain and improve； in opposition to the State of Nature； the State
of Art of an organized polity； in which； and by which； man may develop
a worthy civilization； capable of maintaining and constantly improving
itself； until the evolution of our globe shall have entered so far
upon its downward course that the cosmic process resumes its sway；
and； once more； the State of Nature prevails over the surface of our
planet。
Note： （See p。 30）。It seems the fashion nowadays to ignore
Hartley； though； a century and a half ago； he not only laid the
foundations but built up much of the superstructure of a true theory
of the Evolution of the intellectual and moral faculties。 He speaks of
what I have termed the ethical process as 〃our Progress from
Self…interest to Self…annihilation。〃 Observations on Man （1749）； vol。
ii p。 281。
＇46＇
II。
EVOLUTION AND ETHICS。
＇The Romanes Lecture； 1893。＇
Soleo enim et in aliena castra transire； non tanquam transfuga sed
tanquam explorator。 （L。 ANNAEI SENECAE EPIST。 II。 4。）
THERE is a delightful child's story； known by the title of 〃Jack and
the Bean…stalk；〃 with which my contemporaries who are present will be
familiar。 But so many of our grave and reverend Juniors have been
brought up on severer intellectual diet； and； perhaps； have become
acquainted with fairyland only through primers of comparative
mythology； that it may be needful to give an outline of the tale。 It
is a legend of a bean…plant； which grows and grows until it reaches
the high heavens and there spreads out into a vast canopy of foliage。
The hero； being moved to climb the stalk； discovers that the leafy
expanse supports a world composed of the same elements as that below
but yet strangely new； and his adventures there； on which I may not
dwell； must ＇47＇ have completely changed his views of the nature of
things； though the story； not having been composed by； or for；
philosophers； has nothing to say about views。
My present enterprise has a certain analogy to that of the daring
adventurer。 I beg you to accompany me in an attempt to reach a world
which； to many； is probably strange； by the help of a bean。 It is； as
you know； a simple； inert…looking thing。 Yet； if planted under proper
conditions； of which sufficient warmth is one of the most important；
it manifests active powers of a very remarkable kind。 A small green
seedling emerges； rises to the surface of the soil； rapidly increases
in size and； at the same time； undergoes a series of metamorphoses
which do not excite our wonder as much as those which meet us in
legendary history； merely because they are to be seen every day and
all day long。
By insensible steps； the plant builds itself up into a large and
various fabric of root； stem； leaves； flowers； and fruit； every one
moulded within and without in accordance with an extremely complex
but； at the same time； minutely defined pattern。 In each of these
complicated structures； as in their smallest constituents； there is an
immanent energy which； in harmony with that resident in all the
others； incessantly works towards the maintenance ；of the whole and
the efficient performance of the part which it has to play in the
economy of nature。
＇48＇ But no sooner has the edifice； reared with such exact
elaboration； attained completeness； than it begins to crumble。 By
degrees； the plant withers and disappears from view； leaving behind
more or fewer apparently inert and simple bodies； just like the bean
from which it sprang； and； like it； endowed with the potentiality of
giving rise to a similar cycle of manifestations。 Neither the poetic
nor the scientific imagination is put to much strain in the search
after analogies with this process of going forth and； as it were；
returning to the starting…point。 It may be likened to the ascent and
descent of a slung stone； or the course of an arrow along its
trajectory。 Or we may say that the living energy takes first an upward
and then a downward road。 Or it may seem preferable to compare the
expansion of the germ into the full…grown plant； to the unfolding of a
fan； or to the rolling forth and widening of a stream； and thus to
arrive at the conception of 〃development；〃 or 〃evolution。〃 Here； as
elsewhere； names are 〃noise and smoke〃； the important point is to have
a clear and adequate conception of the fact signified by a name。 And；
in this case； the fact is the Sisyphaean process； in the course of
which； the living and growing plant passes from the relative
simplicity and latent potentiality of the seed to the full epiphany of
a highly differentiated type； thence to fall back to simplicity and
potentiality。
＇49＇ The value of a strong intellectual grasp of the nature of this
process lies in the circumstance that what is true of the bean is true
of living things in general。 From very low forms up to the highestin
the animal no less than in the vegetable kingdomthe process of life
presents the same appearance ＇Note 1＇ of cyclical evolution。 Nay； we
have but to cast our eyes over the rest of the world and cyclical
change presents itself on all sides。 It meets us in the water that
flows to the sea and returns to the springs； in the heavenly bodies
that wax and wane； go and return to their places； in the inexorable
sequence of the ages of man's life； in that successive rise； apogee；
and fall of dynasties and of states which is the most prominent topic
of civil history。
As no man fording a swift stream can dip his foot twice into the same
water； so no man can； with exactness； affirm of anything in the
sensible world that it is。＇Note 2＇ As he utters the words； nay； as he
thinks them； the predicate ceases to be applicable； the present has
become the past； the 〃is〃 should be 〃was。〃 And the more we learn of
the nature of things； the more evident is it that what we call rest is
only unperceived activity； that seeming peace is silent but strenuous
battle。 In every part； at every moment； the state of the cosmos is the
expression of a transitory adjustment of contending forces； a scene；
of strife； in which all the combatants fall in turn。 What is ＇50＇ true
of each part； is true of the whole。 Natural knowledge tends more and
more to the conclusion that 〃all the choir of heaven and furniture of
the earth〃 are the transitory forms of parcels of cosmic substance
wending along the road of evolution； from nebulous potentiality；
through endless growths of sun and planet and satellite； through all
varieties of matter； through infinite diversities of life and thought；
possibly； through modes of being of which we neither have a
con