"The balance of private good and general welfare is at the bottom of civilized morals; but the morals of the Heroic Age are founded on individuality, and on nothing else"

This quote by Lascelles Abercrombie speaks to the importance of balance between individual and collective interests in a civilized society. He recommends that the morals of the Heroic Age, which is a period of time in which heroic deeds and values were celebrated, were based solely on individualism. This implies that the Heroic Age was a time of self-interest and disregard for the cumulative good. Abercrombie's quote suggests that in order for a society to be really civilized, it must discover a balance between the private good of people and the basic welfare of the collective. This balance is vital for a society to be effective and prosperous. It is only when individuals are willing to put the collective excellent ahead of their own that a society can genuinely thrive. Abercrombie's quote is a tip that in order for a society to be really civilized, it needs to find a balance in between individual and collective interests.