[100] ‘Prehistoric Times,’ 2nd edit. p. 571. In this work (at p. 553) there will be found an excellent account of the many strange and capricious customs of savages.
[101] See, for instance, on this subject, Quatrefages, ‘Unité de l’Espèce Humaine,’ 1861, p. 21, &c.
[102] ‘Dissertation on Ethical Philosophy,’ 1837, p. 231, &c.
[103] ‘Metaphysics of Ethics,’ translated by J. W. Semple, Edinburgh, 1836, p. 136.
[104] Mr. Bain gives a list (‘Mental and Moral Science,’ 1868, p. 543-725) of twenty-six British authors who have written on this subject, and whose names are familiar to every reader; to these, Mr. Bain’s own name, and those of Mr. Lecky, Mr. Shadworth Hodgson, and Sir J. Lubbock, as well as of others, may be added.
[105] Sir B. Brodie, after observing that man is a social animal (‘Psychological Enquiries,’ 1854, p. 192), asks the pregnant question, “ought not this to settle the disputed question as to the existence of a moral sense?” Similar ideas have probably occurred to many persons, as they did long ago to Marcus Aurelius. Mr. J. S. Mill speaks, in his celebrated work, ‘Utilitarianism,’ (1864, p. 46), of the social feelings as a “powerful natural sentiment,” and as “the natural basis of sentiment for utilitarian morality;” but on the previous page he says, “if, as is my own belief, the moral feelings are not innate, but acquired, they are not for that reason less natural.” It is with hesitation that I venture to differ from so profound a thinker, but it can hardly be disputed that the social feelings are instinctive or innate in the lower animals; and why should they not be so in man? Mr. Bain (see, for instance, ‘The Emotions and the Will,’ 1865, p. 481) and others believe that the moral sense is acquired by each individual during his lifetime. On the general theory of evolution this is at least extremely improbable.
[106] ‘Die Darwin’sche Theorie,’ s. 101.
[107] Mr. R. Browne in ‘Proc. Zoolog. Soc.’ 1868, p. 409.
[108] Brehm, ‘Thierleben,’ B. i. 1864, s. 52, 79. For the case of the monkeys extracting thorns from each other, see s. 54. With respect to the Hamadryas turning over stones, the fact is given (s. 76) on the evidence of Alvarez, whose observations Brehm thinks quite trustworthy. For the cases of the old male baboons attacking the dogs, see s. 79; and with respect to the eagle, s. 56.
[109] ‘Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist.’ November, 1868, p. 382.