s of
previous building. In historic times there has been little progress; in
prehistoric times there must have been much. In solving, or trying to
solve, the question, we must take notice of this remarkable difference,
and explain it, too, or else we may be sure our principles are utterly
incomplete, and perhaps altogether unsound. But what then is that
solution, or what are the principles which tend towards it? Three laws,
or approximate laws, may, I think, be laid down, with only one of which
I can deal in this paper, but all three of which it will be best to
state, that it may be seen what I am aiming at.

First. In every particular state of the world, those nations which are
strongest tend to prevail over the others; and in certain marked
peculiarities the strongest tend to be the best. Secondly. Within every
particular nation the type or types of character then and there most
attractive tend to prevail; and, the most attractive, though with
exceptions, is what we call the best character. Thirdly. Neither of
these competitions is in most historic conditions intensified by
extrinsic forces, but in some conditions, such as those now prevailing
in the most influential part of the world, both are so intensified.

These are the sort of doctrines with which, under the name of 'natural
selection' in physical science, we have become familiar; and as every
great scientific conception tends to advance its boundaries and to be
of use in solving problems not thought of when it was started, so here,
what was put forward for mere animal history may, with a change of
form, but an identical essence, be applied to human history. At first
some objection was raised to the principle of 'natural selection' in
physical science upon religious grounds; it was to be expected that so
active an idea and so large a shifting of thought would seem to imperil
much which men valued. But in this, as in other cases, the objection
is, I think, passing away; the new principle is more and more seen to
be fatal to mere outworks of religion, not to religion itself. At all
events, to the sort of application here made of it, which only amounts
to searching out and following up an analogy suggested by it, there is
plainly no objection. Everyone now admits that human history is guided
by certain laws, and all that is here aimed at is to indicate, in a
more or less distinct way, an infinitesimally small portion of such
laws. The discussion of these three pri