The Descent of Man

savages, it would appear that something of the
same kind holds good with them. If this be so,
it would be a small step in any one to transfer
such feelings to any member of the same tribe if
he had done him an injury and had become his
enemy. Nor is it probable that the primitive
conscience would reproach a man for injuring
his enemy; rather it would reproach him, if he
had not revenged himself. To do good in return
for evil, to love your enemy, is a height of morality
to which it may be doubted whether the
social instincts would, by themselves, have ever
led us. It is necessary that these instincts, together
with sympathy, should have been highly
cultivated and extended by the aid of reason,
instruction, and the love or fear of God, before
any such golden rule would ever be thought of
and obeyed.)
A man cannot prevent past impressions often
repassing through his mind; he will thus be
driven to make a comparison between the im-