evolution and ethics and other essays-第4部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


unceasing　competition　of　the　struggle　for　existence。　The
characteristic　of　the　former　is　the　elimination　of　that　struggle；　by
the　removal　of　the　conditions　which　give　rise　to　it。　The　tendency　of
the　cosmic　process　is　to　bring　about　the　adjustment　of　the　forms　of
plant　life　to　the　current　conditions；　the　tendency　of　the
horticultural　process　is　the　adjustment　of　the　conditions　to　the　needs
of　the　forms　of　plant　life　which　the　gardener　desires　to　raise。

The　cosmic　process　uses　unrestricted　multiplication　＇14＇　as　the　means
whereby　hundreds　compete　for　the　place　and　nourishment　adequate　for
one；　it　employs　frost　and　drought　to　cut　off　the　weak　and　unfortunate；
to　survive；　there　is　need　not　only　of　strength；　but　of　flexibility　and
of　good　fortune。

The　gardener；　on　the　other　hand；　restricts　multiplication；　provides
that　each　plant　shall　have　sufficient　space　and　nourishment；　protects
from　frost　and　drought；　and；　in　every　other　way；　attempts　to　modify
the　conditions；　in　such　a　manner　as　to　bring　about　the　survival　of
those　forms　which　most　nearly　approach　the　standard　of　the　useful　or
the　beautiful；　which　he　has　in　his　mind。

If　the　fruits　and　the　tubers；　the　foliage　and　the　flowers　thus
obtained；　reach；　or　sufficiently　approach；　that　ideal；　there　is　no
reason　why　the　status　quo　attained　should　not　be　indefinitely
prolonged。　So　long　as　the　state　of　nature　remains　approximately　the
same；　so　long　will　the　energy　and　intelligence　which　created　the
garden　suffice　to　maintain　it。　However；　the　limits　within　which　this
mastery　of　man　over　nature　can　be　maintained　are　narrow。　If　the
conditions　of　the　cretaceous　epoch　returned；　I　fear　the　most　skilful
of　gardeners　would　have　to　give　up　the　cultivation　of　apples　and
gooseberries；　while；　if　those　of　the　glacial　period　once　again
obtained；　open　asparagus　beds　would　be　superfluous；　and　the　training
of　fruit　＇15＇　trees　against　the　most　favourable　of　mouth　walls；　a
waste　of　time　and　trouble。

But　it　is　extremely　important　to　note　that；　the　state　of　nature
remaining　the　same；　if　the　produce　does　not　satisfy　the　gardener；　it
may　be　made　to　approach　his　ideal　more　closely。　Although　the　struggle
for　existence　may　be　at　end；　the　possibility　of　progress　remains。　In
discussions　on　these　topics；　it　is　often　strangely　forgotten　that　the
essential　conditions　of　the　modification；　or　evolution；　of　living
things　are　variation　and　hereditary　transmission。　Selection　is　the
means　by　which　certain　variations　are　favoured　and　their　progeny
preserved。　But　the　struggle　for　existence　is　only　one　of　the　means　by
which　selection　may　be　effected。　The　endless　varieties　of　cultivated
flowers；　fruits；　roots；　tubers；　and　bulbs　are　not　products　of
selection　by　means　of　the　struggle　for　existence；　but　of　direct
selection；　in　view　of　an　ideal　of　utility　or　beauty。　Amidst　a　multitude
of　plants；　occupying　the　same　station　and　subjected　to　the　same
conditions；　in　the　garden；　varieties　arise。　The　varieties　tending　in　a
given　direction　are　preserved；　and　the　rest　are　destroyed。　And　the
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　t