But suppose, farther, that the sailor was of healthy descent, that he was, by heredity, strong, and brave, and intelligent; and suppose that the landsman was a degenerate: weak, nervous, fainthearted, and stupid; then the difference would be one of heredity and environment. And if the landsman were drowned and the sailor came safely to shore, should we curse and revile the one, and applaud and reward the other. Or should we take the sailor's success as a matter of course, and give our pity to the landsman? Well: in such a crazy boat, with such useless oars, with such a faint heart, a lack of knowledge and skill, and such a feeble mind, does the "Bottom Dog" put out, to wrestle with the winds and storms, and escape the dangerous currents of life. And how can we expect the badly bred, badly trained, badly taught degenerate to succeed like the well-bred, well-trained, and well-taught hero? What Mr. Campbell calls John Bunyan's "manhood"--the manhood that "raised him above his environment"--was largely composed of environment. There never yet has been a hero whose heroism was not in a great measure due to his environment. Let any one who doubts this look back to our suggestions of the fate of a child born into evil environments. Every man is largely what environment has made him. No man can be independent of environment: but for environment he could never live to be a man at all. And now let us consider some of the good and evil things environment may do. CHAPTER EIGHT--GOOD AND BAD SURROUNDINGS THERE are many who always think of environment as something bad. We hear a good deal about men who "rise above their environment"; but we seldom hear of men who are uplifted by their environment. Yet, as I have shown, no man rises above bad environment unless he is helped by good environment. Those who dread the power of environment cannot have given much thought to the subject. Instead of being a menace to the human race, the power of environment is the source of our brightest hope. Environment has shaped evolution, and has raised man above the beasts. Environment has created morality and conscience. Environment, feared as a power for evil, is also a power for good. If bad teaching, and evil surroundings make bad men; then good teaching, and good surroundings will make good men. If bad food, bad air, ignorance, and vice, degrade mankind; then good food, good air, knowledge, and temperance will uplift mankind. If men and women are largely that which environment makes them, then, by improving the environment we can improve men and women. And here I come into touch with a certain school of dismal scientists who would have us believe that it is useless to improve environment, because men are what heredity makes them, and because we cannot control heredity. Let us dispose of these pessimists before we go any farther. Happily, the cases in which heredity is stronger than environment are few.