Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 53.djvu/254

240 any moment. Under the régime of such institutions, the object of social activity is not, I repeat, the destruction but the conservation of life and property. The man seeking to supply his own wants can do so most effectively only as he supplies the wants of his fellows—that is to say, in striving for his own happiness, he must, in spite of greed or indifference, aid in their attainment to the same state of content. But the prevalence of misery about him tends to pain him as it does its victims, and only as he helps them to escape it can he do so himself. Therefore, the very necessities of existence do not simply constrain him to undertake in the myriad forms of industrial enterprise what will contribute most powerfully to his own happiness, they constrain him also to undertake in the myriad forms of charitable enterprise what will alleviate most perfectly the sufferings of those less fortunate than himself. Thus, while peace and industry compel the abandonment of every vice that leads to barbarism, they compel the observance of every virtue that leads to civilization.

What the duty of people is must now be as plain as it is simple. They should set their faces resolutely against any extension of the authority of the state. With all the strength at their command they should work to abridge as much as possible the authority with which it has already been wrongfully intrusted. Only by voluntary effort, such as is exhibited in every private industrial and charitable enterprise ever undertaken, should they attempt a solution of the problems of life. No one then will be called upon to surrender without his consent either his property or his freedom.

the extracts from the diary of Sir Andrew Crombie Ramsay, given in Sir Archibald Geikie's Memoir, is this pretty picture of a group of famous men of science at play. Ramsay was at Darwin's, and the others were his fellow-guests: "Rose betimes, had a walk in the gardens, and came in to breakfast. . . . After lunch, Forbes, Owen, Lyell, and I had a walk in Sir John Lubbock's park, and saw a number of things pleasant to look upon, in spite of a tendency to drizzling. Nice, cozy chat, too, before dinner. Darwin is an enviable man—a pleasant place, a nice wife, a nice family, station neither too high nor too low, a good moderate fortune, and the command of his own time. After tea Mrs. Darwin and one of her sisters played some of Mendelssohn's duets, etc., all very charming. I never enjoyed myself more. Forbes came to my room before going to bed and gave me a sketch of his coming lecture on generic centers. Lyell is a much more amusing man than I gave him credit for. Mrs. Lyell is a charming person—pretty, and full of faith in and admiring her husband. Mr. and Mrs. Lyell told some capital stories about America, but on the whole all tending to the honor of America. He is quite enthusiastic about it, especially in all that relates to the liberal spirit of the New Englanders. Boston seems to be in all the world his favorite city."