The Principles of Biology, Volume 1 (of 2)Spencer, Herbert
Science
The Principles of Biology, Volume 1 (of 2)
Spencer, Herbert
Biology
We noted when studying the phenomena of growth inductively, that organisms
of the larger and higher types commence their separate existences as masses
of organic matter having tolerable magnitudes. Speaking generally, we saw
that throughout each organic sub-kingdom the acquirement of great bulk
occurs only where the incipient bulk and organization are considerable; and
that they are the more considerable in proportion to the complexity of the
life which the organism is to lead.
The deductive interpretation of this induction may best be commenced by an
analogy. A street orange-vendor makes but a trifling profit on each
transaction; and unless more than ordinarily fortunate, he is unable to
realize during the day a larger amount than will meet his wants; leaving
him to start on the morrow in the same condition as before. The trade of
the huxter in ounces of tea and half-pounds of sugar, is one similarly
entailing much labour for small returns. Beginning with a capital of a few
pounds, he cannot have a shop large enough, or goods sufficiently abundant
and various, to permit an extensive business. He must be content with the
half-pence and pence which he makes by little sales to poor people; and if,
avoiding bad debts, he is able by strict economy to accumulate anything, it
can be but a trifle. A large retail trader is obliged to lay out much money
in fitting up an adequate establishment; he must invest a still greater sum
in stock; and he must have a further floating capital to meet the charges
that fall due before his returns come in. Setting out, however, with means
enough for these purposes, he is able to make many and large sales; and so
to get greater and more numerous increments of profit. Similarly, to get
returns in thousands merchants and manufacturers must make their
investments in tens of thousands. In brief, the rate at which a man's
wealth accumulates is measured by the surplus of income over expenditure;
and this, save in exceptionably favourable cases, is determined by the
capital with which he begins business. Now applying the analogy, we may
trace in the transactions of an organism, the same three ultimate elements.
There is the expenditure required for the obtainment and digestion of food;
there is the gross return in the shape of nutriment assimilated or fit for
assimilation; and there is the difference between this gross return of
nutriment and the nutriment that was used up in the labour of securing
it--a difference which may be a profit or a loss. Clearly, however, a
surplus implies that the force expended is less than the force latent in
the assimilated food. Clearly, too, the increment of growth is limited to
the amount of this surplus of income over expenditure; so that large growth
implies both that the excess of nutrition over waste shall be relatively
considerable, and that the waste and nutrition shall be on extensive
scales. And clearly, the ability of an organism to expend largely and
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