ical evolutionists, as
may be seen by the examples adduced in a contrary sense by
Herbert Spencer. This is partially perceived by Spencer himself.
Illustrations from his works.

Ludicrous attempts, on the part of socialistic writers, to apply
the speculative generalisations of sociology to the practical
position of individual men.

The climax of absurdity reached by Mr. Sidney Webb.

CHAPTER IX

THE ULTIMATE DIFFICULTY, CONTINUED.
ABILITY AND INDIVIDUAL MOTIVE

The individual motives of the able man as dealt with directly by
modern socialists.

They abandon their sociological ineptitudes altogether, and
betake themselves to a psychology which they declare to be
scientific, but which is based on no analysis of facts, and
consists really of loose assumptions and false analogies.

Their treatment of the motives of the artist, the thinker, the
religious enthusiast, and the soldier.

Their unscientific treatment of the soldier's motive, and their
fantastic proposal based on it to transfer this motive from the
domain of war to that of industry.

The socialists as their own critics when they denounce the
actual motives of the able man as he is and as they say he
always has been. They attack the typically able man of all
periods as a monster of congenital selfishness, and it is men of
this special type whom they propose to transform suddenly into
monsters of self-abnegation.

Their want of faith in the efficacy of their own moral suasion
and their proposal to supplement this by the ballot.

CHAPTER X

INDIVIDUAL MOTIVE AND DEMOCRACY

Exaggerated powers ascribed to democracy by inaccurate thinkers.

An example from an essay by a recent philosophic thinker, with
special reference to the rewards of exceptional ability.

This writer maintains that the money rewards of ability can be
determined by the opinion of the majority expressing itself
through votes and statutes.

The writer's typical error. A governing body might enact any
laws, but they would not be obeyed unless consonant with human
nature.

Laws are obliged to conform to the propensities of human nature
which it is t