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Seldom has so flattering an audience assembled in upper Boylston to greet a lecturer as gathered there last evening to hear Dr. D. J. H. Ward's lecture on Anthropology. The benches began to fill up soon after seven and by half-past, every seat was occupied and a few had even brought in chairs and were sitting about the door. The subject of the lecture was "Anthropology and Sociology," and a printed tabular analysis showing the relation of man to nature, was given to each person on entering the room.
Dr. Ward said that these lectures were not supposed to contain a complete treatment of Anthropology, but were intended rather to illustrate the application of that science to certain selected problems, and that he hoped in this way to make the general scope and uses of Anthropology better understood and more fully appreciated. Dr. Ward wished it to be clearly understood that religion had nothing to fear from Anthropological study.
The attitude of man towards his fellow man constitutes morality, and this morality, or moral sense, is one of the chief differences between man and the lower animals. In man it is brought to a high degree of development, but in the lower animals it is scarcely noticeable, although examples of it are sometimes noticed. Among the less civilized nations the preservation of the tribe is the great motive power, and whatever tends to that end is thought to be the greatest virtue. Thus we see how it was that courage became to be so much admired. And investigation shows that morality has not been developed by selfishness, nor by a desire for happiness, but by a striving after the greatest good of the greatest number.
Society is composed of men and hence Sociology or the study of society is founded upon Anthropology. For by a study of the unit we can always draw important inference concerning the aggregate of such units.
In conclusion, Dr. Ward said a word concerning the difficulties under which Anthropology labored. In his next lecture he will treat of the benefits to be derived from anthropological study.
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