SOCIAL RIGHTS AND DUTIES
The Volumes of the Series already Published are:—
Civilisation of Christendom, and other Studies. By BernardBosanquet, M.A. (Oxon.), Hon. LL.D. (Glasgow). 4s. 6d.
Short Studies in Character. By Sophie Bryant, D.Sc. (Lond.). 4s.6d.
Social Rights and Duties. By Leslie Stephen. 2 vols., 9s.
Other Volumes to follow by—
Professor A. Sidgwick, Professor D. G. Ritchie, and
J. H. Muirhead, Esq. (the Editor).
The Ethical Library
SOCIAL RIGHTS AND DUTIES
ADDRESSES TO ETHICAL
SOCIETIES
LESLIE STEPHEN
IN TWO VOLUMES
VOL. II.
LONDON
SWAN SONNENSCHEIN & CO., Limited
NEW YORK: MACMILLAN & CO.
1896
ABERDEEN UNIVERSITY PRESS.
NOTE.
The following chapters are chiefly a republication of addressesdelivered to the Ethical Societies of London. Some have previouslyappeared in the International Journal of Ethics, the NationalReview, and the Contemporary Review. The author has to thank theproprietors of these periodicals for their consent to the republication.
L. S.
CONTENTS.
| PAGE | |
| Heredity, | 1 |
| Punishment, | 55 |
| Luxury, | 95 |
| The Duties of Authors, | 137 |
| The Vanity of Philosophising, | 183 |
| Forgotten Benefactors, | 225 |
HEREDITY.
I found, the other day, that an address upon Heredity had beenannounced, of which I was to be the deliverer. I admit that I was fullyresponsible for the statement, although, for reasons with which I neednot trouble you, I was not quite prepared for it in this form. I mentionthis fact in order simply to say that the title may possibly give riseto false expectations. I am quite incompetent to express any opinion ofthe slightest scientific value upon certain problems suggested by thatrather ugly word "heredity". The question as to the precise relationshipbetween any organism and its parents or remoter ancestors, is one of thehighest interest. The solution, for example, of the problem, whether isit possible for a living being to transmit to its descendants qualitieswhich have only been acquired during its own lifetime, has an importantbearing upon the general theory of evolution. But I have nothingwhatever to suggest in regard to th