But, supposingthiscourseofconducttobescientificallydeterminedandcarefullyfollowedout,itcannotputanendtothestruggleforexistenceinthestateofnature; anditwillnotsomuchastend,inanyway, , withinwhich "absolutepoliticaljustice" reigns, thestruggleforexistencewiththestateofnatureoutsideit, andthetendencytothereturntothestrugglewithin, inconsequenceofover-multiplication, willremain; and, unlessmen'sinheritancefromtheancestorswhofoughtagoodfightinthestateofnature, theirdoseoforiginalsin,isrootedoutbysomemethodatpresentunrevealed,atanyratetodisbelieversinsupernaturalism, -restraintandrenunciationisnothappiness, thoughitmaybesomethingmuchbetter.
Thatman, asa "politicalanimal," issusceptibleofavastamountofimprovement, byeducation, byinstruction, andbytheapplicationofhisintelligencetotheadaptationoftheconditionsoflifetohishigherneeds, , intellectualormoral; solongasheiscompelledtobeperpetuallyonguardagainstthecosmicforces, whoseendsarenothisends,withoutandwithinhimself; solongasheishauntedbyinexpugnablememoriesandhopelessaspirations;solongastherecognitionofhisintellectuallimitationsforceshimtoacknowledgehisincapacitytopenetratethemysteryofexistence; theprospectofattaininguntroubledhappiness, orofastatewhichcan, evenremotely, deservethetitleofperfection, .
Thatwhichliesbeforethehumanraceisaconstantstruggletomaintainandimprove, inoppositiontotheStateofNature, theStateofArtofanorganizedpolity;inwhich, andbywhich, manmaydevelopaworthycivilization, capableofmaintainingandconstantlyimprovingitself, untiltheevolutionofourglobeshallhaveenteredsofaruponitsdownwardcoursethatthecosmicprocessresumesitssway; and, oncemore, theStateofNatureprevailsoverthesurfaceofourplanet.
NOTE
ItseemsthefashionnowadaystoignoreHartley;though, acenturyandahalfago, "ourProgressfromSelf-interesttoSelf-annihilation." ObservationsonMan (1749), .281.
[1] ThosewhoreadthelastEssayinthisvolumewillnotaccusemeofwishingtoattenuatetheeviloftheexistenceofthisgroup, whethergreatorsmall.
[2] Ihaveelsewherelamentedtheabsencefromsocietyofamachineryforfacilitatingthedescentofincapacity.'AdministrativeNihilism.' CollectedEssays, vol.i.p.54.
