he tendency of society seems to be toward furnishing
all its members equality of opportunity to make the most of their
natural endowments. But if we are convinced that these statements
express even vaguely the tendency of human development in all its
past history, we are confident that these tendencies will continue
in the future for a period somewhat proportional to their time of
growth in the past. If we are wise, we try to make our own lives and
actions, and those of our fellows, conform to and advance them.
Otherwise our lives will be thrown away.

But if the theory of evolution be true, human history is only the
last page of the one history of all life. If we are to gain any
adequate, true, extensive view of human progress, we must read more
than this. We must take into account the history of man when he was
not yet man. And if we believe in the future continuance of
tendencies of a few centuries' growth, we shall rest assured of the
permanence of tendencies which have grown and strengthened through
the ages.

Our confidence in the results of historical study is therefore
proportioned to the extent and thoroughness of the experience which
they record, and to the time during which these laws can be proven
to have held good. If I can make it even fairly probable that these
laws, on obedience to which human progress and success seem to
depend, are merely quoted from a grander code applicable to all life
in all times, your confidence in them will be even greater. I trust
I can prove to you that the animal kingdom has not drifted aimlessly
at the mercy of every wind and tide and current of circumstance. I
hope to show that along one line it has from the beginning through
the ages held a steady course straight onward, and that deviation
from this course has always led to failure or degeneration. From so
vast a history we may hope to deduce some of the great laws of true
success in life. Furthermore, if along this central line, at the
head of which man stands, there always has been progress, we cannot
doubt that future progress will be as certain, and perhaps far more
rapid. In all the struggle of life we shall have the sure hope of
success and victory; if not for ourselves still for those who shall
come after us. "We are saved by hope." And we may be confident that
this hope will never make us ashamed.

Finally, even from our present knowledge of the past progress of
life we shall hope to catch hints at least that ma