But this is no right outlook upon the future. It is not a question of
what posterity can do for us. Posterity is here within us. The life of
the world to come is in our keeping. We carry it about with us in all
our goings and comings. It is at the mercy of what we eat and drink, at
the mercy of the diseases we contract. Its fate is involved when we fall
in love with each other, or out of love with each other; it is we
ourselves. Just as the father who perhaps is losing his own hair may
like to see how pleasantly his children's hair is growing, and finds
consolation therein; just as, indeed, all the hopes of the parent
become gradually transferred from self to that further self, those
further selves, which his children are, so we are to look upon the
future as our continuing self. To ask, What has posterity done for us?
should be looked upon as if one should say, What have my children done
for me? The parallel is indeed a very close one: and it is pointed out
by the fine sentence from Herbert Spencer, which should be known to all
of us--"A transfigured sentiment of parenthood regards with solicitude
not child and grandchild only, but the generations to come
hereafter--fathers of the future, creating and providing for their
remote children."
We may grant that there is no money in posterity. The germ-plasm has
infinite possibilities; but, so long as it remains germ-plasm, it can
write no cheques in our favour.
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