Theological Review, April 1872, pp. 188-191) on the same
illustration, says, the PRINCIPLES of social duty would be thus
reversed; and by this, I presume, she means that the fulfilment of a
social duty would tend to the injury of individuals; but she overlooks
the fact, which she would doubtless admit, that the instincts of the
bee have been acquired for the good of the community. She goes so far
as to say that if the theory of ethics advocated in this chapter were
ever generally accepted, I cannot but believe that in the hour of
their triumph would be sounded the knell of the virtue of mankind! It
is to be hoped that the belief in the permanence of virtue on this
earth is not held by many persons on so weak a tenure.) Nevertheless,
the bee, or any other social animal, would gain in our supposed case,
as it appears to me, some feeling of right or wrong, or a conscience.
For each individual would have an inward sense of possessing certain
stronger or more enduring instincts, and others less strong or
enduring; so that there would often be a struggle as to which impulse
should be followed; and satisfaction, dissatisfaction, or even misery
would be felt, as past impressions were compared during their incessant
passage through the mind. In this case an inward monitor would tell the
animal that it would have been better to have followed the one impulse
rather than the other. The one course ought to have been followed, and
the other ought not; the one would have been right and the other wrong;
but to these terms I shall recur.
SOCIABILITY.
Animals of many kinds are social; we find even distinct species living
together; for example, some American monkeys; and united flocks of
rooks, jackdaws, and starlings. Man shews the same feeling in his
strong love for the dog, which the dog returns with interest. Every one
must have noticed how miserable horses, dogs, sheep, etc., are when
separated from their companions, and what strong mutual affection the
two former kinds, at least, shew on their reunion. It is curious to
speculate on the feelings of a dog, who will rest peacefully for hours
in a room with his master or any of the family, without the least
notice being taken of him; but if left for a short time by himself,
barks or howls dismally. We will confine our attention to the higher
social animals; and pass over insects, although some of these are
social, and aid one another in many important ways. The most common
mutual service in the higher animals is to warn one another of danger
113