Themostimmediateandunequivocalexpressionofthatarchaichumannaturewhichcharacterizesmaninthepredatorystageisthefightingpropensityproper。Incaseswherethepredatoryactivityisacollectiveone，thispropensityisfrequentlycalledthemartialspirit，or，latterly，patriotism。
ItneedsnoinsistencetofindassenttothepropositionthatinthecountriesofcivilizedEuropethehereditaryleisureclassisendowedwiththismartialspiritinahigherdegreethanthemiddleclasses。Indeed，theleisureclassclaimsthedistinctionasamatterofpride，andnodoubtwithsomegrounds。Warishonorable，andwarlikeprowessiseminentlyhonorificintheeyesofthegeneralityofmen；andthisadmirationofwarlikeprowessisitselfthebestvoucherofapredatorytemperamentintheadmirerofwar。Theenthusiasmforwar，andthepredatorytemperofwhichitistheindex，prevailinthelargestmeasureamongtheupperclasses，especiallyamongthehereditaryleisureclass。
Moreover，theostensibleseriousoccupationoftheupperclassisthatofgovernment，which，inpointoforiginanddevelopmentalcontent，isalsoapredatoryoccupation。
Theonlyclasswhichcouldatalldisputewiththehereditaryleisureclassthehonorofanhabitualbellicoseframeofmindisthatofthelower-classdelinquents。Inordinarytimes，thelargebodyoftheindustrialclassesisrelativelyapathetictouchingwarlikeinterests。Whenunexcited，thisbodyofthecommonpeople，whichmakesuptheeffectiveforceoftheindustrialcommunity，isratheraversetoanyotherthanadefensivefight；indeed，itrespondsalittletardilyeventoaprovocationwhichmakesforanattitudeofdefense。Inthemorecivilizedcommunities，orratherinthecommunitieswhichhavereachedanadvancedindustrialdevelopment，thespiritofwarlikeaggressionmaybesaidtobeobsolescentamongthecommonpeople。
Thisdoesnotsaythatthereisnotanappreciablenumberofindividualsamongtheindustrialclassesinwhomthemartialspiritassertsitselfobtrusively。Nordoesitsaythatthebodyofthepeoplemaynotbefiredwithmartialardorforatimeunderthestimulusofsomespecialprovocation，suchasisseeninoperationtodayinmorethanoneofthecountriesofEurope，andforthetimeinAmerica。Butexceptforsuchseasonsoftemporaryexaltation，andexceptforthoseindividualswhoareendowedwithanarchaictemperamentofthepredatorytype，togetherwiththesimilarlyendowedbodyofindividualsamongthehigherandthelowestclasses，theinertnessofthemassofanymoderncivilizedcommunityinthisrespectisprobablysogreataswouldmakewarimpracticable，exceptagainstactualinvasion。
Thehabitsandaptitudesofthecommonrunofmenmakeforanunfoldingofactivityinother，lesspicturesquedirectionsthanthatofwar。
Thisclassdifferenceintemperamentmaybedueinparttoadifferenceintheinheritanceofacquiredtraitsintheseveralclasses，butitseemsalso，insomemeasure，tocorrespondwithadifferenceinethnicderivation。Theclassdifferenceisinthisrespectvisiblylessinthosecountrieswhosepopulationisrelativelyhomogeneous，ethnically，thaninthecountrieswherethereisabroaderdivergencebetweentheethnicelementsthatmakeuptheseveralclassesofthecommunity。Inthesameconnectionitmaybenotedthatthelateraccessionstotheleisureclassinthelattercountries，inageneralway，showlessofthemartialspiritthancontemporaryrepresentativesofthearistocracyoftheancientline。Thesenouveauxarriv閟haverecentlyemergedfromthecommonplacebodyofthepopulationandowetheiremergenceintotheleisureclasstotheexerciseoftraitsandpropensitieswhicharenottobeclassedasprowessintheancientsense。
Apartfromwarlikeactivityproper，theinstitutionoftheduelisalsoanexpressionofthesamesuperiorreadinessforcombat；andtheduelisaleisure-classinstitution。Theduelisinsubstanceamoreorlessdeliberateresorttoafightasafinalsettlementofadifferenceofopinion。Incivilizedcommunitiesitprevailsasanormalphenomenononlywherethereisanhereditaryleisureclass，andalmostexclusivelyamongthatclass。Theexceptionsare1militaryandnavalofficerswhoareordinarilymembersoftheleisureclass，andwhoareatthesametimespeciallytrainedtopredatoryhabitsofmindand2thelower-classdelinquents——whoarebyinheritance，ortraining，orboth，ofasimilarlypredatorydispositionandhabit。Itisonlythehigh-bredgentlemanandtherowdythatnormallyresorttoblowsastheuniversalsolventofdifferencesofopinion。Theplainmanwillordinarilyfightonlywhenexcessivemomentaryirritationoralcoholicexaltationacttoinhibitthemorecomplexhabitsofresponsetothestimulithatmakeforprovocation。Heisthenthrownbackuponthesimpler，lessdifferentiatedformsoftheinstinctofself-assertion；thatistosay，herevertstemporarilyandwithoutreflectiontoanarchaichabitofmind。
Thisinstitutionoftheduelasamodeoffinallysettlingdisputesandseriousquestionsofprecedenceshadesoffintotheobligatory，unprovokedprivatefight，asasocialobligationduetoone’sgoodrepute。Asaleisure-classusageofthiskindwehave，particularly，thatbizarresurvivalofbellicosechivalry，theGermanstudentduel。Inthelowerorspuriousleisureclassofthedelinquentsthereisinallcountriesasimilar，thoughlessformal，socialobligationincumbentontherowdytoasserthismanhoodinunprovokedcombatwithhisfellows。Andspreadingthroughallgradesofsociety，asimilarusageprevailsamongtheboysofthecommunity。Theboyusuallyknowstonicety，fromdaytoday，howheandhisassociatesgradeinrespectofrelativefightingcapacity；andinthecommunityofboysthereisordinarilynosecurebasisofreputabilityforanyonewho，byexception，willnotorcannotfightoninvitation。
Allthisappliesespeciallytoboysaboveacertainsomewhatvaguelimitofmaturity。Thechild’stemperamentdoesnotcommonlyanswertothisdescriptionduringinfancyandtheyearsofclosetutelage，whenthechildstillhabituallyseekscontactwithitsmotherateveryturnofitsdailylife。Duringthisearlierperiodthereislittleaggressionandlittlepropensityforantagonism。Thetransitionfromthispeaceabletempertothepredaceous，andinextremecasesmalignant，mischievousnessoftheboyisagradualone，anditisaccomplishedwithmorecompleteness，coveringalargerrangeoftheindividual’saptitudes，insomecasesthaninothers。Intheearlierstageofhisgrowth，thechild，whetherboyorgirl，showslessofinitiativeandaggressiveself-assertionandlessofaninclinationtoisolatehimselfandhisinterestsfromthedomesticgroupinwhichhelives，andheshowsmoreofsensitivenesstorebuke，bashfulness，timidity，andtheneedoffriendlyhumancontact。Inthecommonrunofcasesthisearlytemperamentpasses，byagradualbutsomewhatrapidobsolescenceoftheinfantilefeatures，intothetemperamentoftheboyproper；thoughtherearealsocaseswherethepredaceousfuturesofboylifedonotemergeatall，oratthemostemergeinbutaslightandobscuredegree。
Ingirlsthetransitiontothepredaceousstageisseldomaccomplishedwiththesamedegreeofcompletenessasinboys；andinarelativelylargeproportionofcasesitisscarcelyundergoneatall。Insuchcasesthetransitionfrominfancytoadolescenceandmaturityisagradualandunbrokenprocessoftheshiftingofinterestfrominfantilepurposesandaptitudestothepurposes，functions，andrelationsofadultlife。Inthegirlsthereisalessgeneralprevalenceofapredaceousintervalinthedevelopment；andinthecaseswhereitoccurs，thepredaceousandisolatingattitudeduringtheintervaliscommonlylessaccentuated。
Inthemalechildthepredaceousintervalisordinarilyfairlywellmarkedandlastsforsometime，butitiscommonlyterminatedifatallwiththeattainmentofmaturity。Thislaststatementmayneedverymaterialqualification。Thecasesarebynomeansrareinwhichthetransitionfromtheboyishtotheadulttemperamentisnotmade，orismadeonlypartially——
understandingbythe“adult“temperamenttheaveragetemperamentofthoseadultindividualsinmodernindustriallifewhohavesomeserviceabilityforthepurposesofthecollectivelifeprocess，andwhomaythereforebesaidtomakeuptheeffectiveaverageoftheindustrialcommunity。
TheethniccompositionoftheEuropeanpopulationsvaries。
Insomecaseseventhelowerclassesareinlargemeasuremadeupofthepeace-disturbingdolicho-blond；whileinothersthisethnicelementisfoundchieflyamongthehereditaryleisureclass。Thefightinghabitseemstoprevailtoalessextentamongtheworking-classboysinthelatterclassofpopulationsthanamongtheboysoftheupperclassesoramongthoseofthepopulationsfirstnamed。
Ifthisgeneralizationastothetemperamentoftheboyamongtheworkingclassesshouldbefoundtrueonafullerandcloserscrutinyofthefield，itwouldaddforcetotheviewthatthebellicosetemperamentisinsomeappreciabledegreearacecharacteristic；itappearstoentermorelargelyintothemake-upofthedominant，upper-classethnictype——thedolicho-blond——
oftheEuropeancountriesthanintothesubservient，lower-classtypesofmanwhichareconceivedtoconstitutethebodyofthepopulationofthesamecommunities。
Thecaseoftheboymayseemnottobearseriouslyonthequestionoftherelativeendowmentofprowesswithwhichtheseveralclassesofsocietyaregifted；butitisatleastofsomevalueasgoingtoshowthatthisfightingimpulsebelongstoamorearchaictemperamentthanthatpossessedbytheaverageadultmanoftheindustriousclasses。Inthis，asinmanyotherfeaturesofchildlife，thechildreproduces，temporarilyandinminiature，someoftheearlierphasesofthedevelopmentofadultman。Underthisinterpretation，theboy’spredilectionforexploitandforisolationofhisowninterestistobetakenasatransientreversiontothehumannaturethatisnormaltotheearlybarbarianculture——thepredatorycultureproper。Inthisrespect，asinmuchelse，theleisure-classandthedelinquent-classcharactershowsapersistenceintoadultlifeoftraitsthatarenormaltochildhoodandyouth，andthatarelikewisenormalorhabitualtotheearlierstagesofculture。
Unlessthedifferenceistraceableentirelytoafundamentaldifferencebetweenpersistentethnictypes，thetraitsthatdistinguishtheswaggeringdelinquentandthepunctiliousgentlemanofleisurefromthecommoncrowdare，insomemeasure，marksofanarrestedspiritualdevelopment。Theymarkanimmaturephase，ascomparedwiththestageofdevelopmentattainedbytheaverageoftheadultsinthemodernindustrialcommunity。Anditwillappearpresentlythatthepuerilespiritualmake-upoftheserepresentativesoftheupperandthelowestsocialstratashowsitselfalsointhepresenceofotherarchaictraitsthanthisproclivitytoferociousexploitandisolation。
Asiftoleavenodoubtabouttheessentialimmaturityofthefightingtemperament，wehave，bridgingtheintervalbetweenlegitimateboyhoodandadultmanhood，theaimlessandplayful，butmoreorlesssystematicandelaborate，disturbancesofthepeaceinvogueamongschoolboysofaslightlyhigherage。Inthecommonrunofcases，thesedisturbancesareconfinedtotheperiodofadolescence。Theyrecurwithdecreasingfrequencyandacutenessasyouthmergesintoadultlife，andsotheyreproduce，inageneralway，inthelifeoftheindividual，thesequencebywhichthegrouphaspassedfromthepredatorytoamoresettledhabitoflife。Inanappreciablenumberofcasesthespiritualgrowthoftheindividualcomestoaclosebeforeheemergesfromthispuerilephase；inthesecasesthefightingtemperpersiststhroughlife。Thoseindividualswhoinspiritualdevelopmenteventuallyreachman’sestate，therefore，ordinarilypassthroughatemporaryarchaicphasecorrespondingtothepermanentspirituallevelofthefightingandsportingmen。Differentindividualswill，ofcourse，achievespiritualmaturityandsobrietyinthisrespectindifferentdegrees；andthosewhofailoftheaverageremainasanundissolvedresidueofcrudehumanityinthemodernindustrialcommunityandasafoilforthatselectiveprocessofadaptationwhichmakesforaheightenedindustrialefficiencyandthefullnessoflifeofthecollectivity。Thisarrestedspiritualdevelopmentmayexpressitselfnotonlyinadirectparticipationbyadultsinyouthfulexploitsofferocity，butalsoindirectlyinaidingandabettingdisturbancesofthiskindonthepartofyoungerpersons。Ittherebyfurtherstheformationofhabitsofferocitywhichmaypersistinthelaterlifeofthegrowinggeneration，andsoretardanymovementinthedirectionofamorepeaceableeffectivetemperamentonthepartofthecommunity。Ifapersonsoendowedwithaproclivityforexploitsisinapositiontoguidethedevelopmentofhabitsintheadolescentmembersofthecommunity，theinfluencewhichheexertsinthedirectionofconservationandreversiontoprowessmaybeveryconsiderable。
Thisisthesignificance，forinstance，ofthefosteringcarelatterlybestowedbymanyclergymenandotherpillarsofsocietyupon“boys’brigades“andsimilarpseudo-militaryorganizations。
Thesameistrueoftheencouragementgiventothegrowthof“collegespirit，“collegeathletics，andthelike，inthehigherinstitutionsoflearning。
Thesemanifestationsofthepredatorytemperamentarealltobeclassedundertheheadofexploit。Theyarepartlysimpleandunreflectedexpressionsofanattitudeofemulativeferocity，partlyactivitiesdeliberatelyentereduponwithaviewtogainingreputeforprowess。Sportsofallkindsareofthesamegeneralcharacter，includingprize-fights，bull-fights，athletics，shooting，angling，yachting，andgamesofskill，evenwheretheelementofdestructivephysicalefficiencyisnotanobtrusivefeature。Sportsshadeofffromthebasisofhostilecombat，throughskill，tocunningandchicanery，withoutitsbeingpossibletodrawalineatanypoint。Thegroundofanaddictiontosportsisanarchaicspiritualconstitution——thepossessionofthepredatoryemulativepropensityinarelativelyhighpotency，Astrongproclivitytoadventuresomeexploitandtotheinflictionofdamageisespeciallypronouncedinthoseemploymentswhichareincolloquialusagespecificallycalledsportsmanship。