carry out fully their duties of motherhood and fatherhood. FOOTNOTES [27] It is here taken for granted that the successful are the best. This is, however, open to question, as was seen in the last chapter. [28] “Labour and Life of the People,” p. 472, by Miss Collett. [29] “Fecundity, Fertility, and Sterility,” second edition, chapter xiv. [30] For the sake of simplicity the ages at which the men marry have been omitted; their inclusion would make the case even stronger. [31] See a most instructive paper by Dr. Ogle in the Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, June, 1890. CHAPTER VIII. OBLIGATION IN PARENTHOOD. Our conclusion, based on the evidence detailed in the preceding chapters, has been that our race, viewed from a physiological standpoint, is not on the way towards improvement. I do not feel that this is an alarmist view of the question, even though it points in the direction of both the physical and intellectual degeneration of our countrymen. It is a view based upon facts, and forced upon us by the knowledge of our surroundings gained impartially in other fields. Still, all social problems are of extreme complexity, and one must not lay too much stress upon any individual effort to gauge them. It will be sufficient for all practical purposes if attention has been drawn to these questions, and a serious inquiry started. It may be urged that, after all, the fears expressed are groundless in view of other facts not understood, and that humanity, if left to itself, will continue for another few thousand years making no important change in its innate racial qualities. But even if this is so, there is one point which stands out clearly in this discussion; and about this point there need be no shadow of doubt, for of its truth, humanity has had wide experience. It is, that we can improve our race by adopting the one and only adequate expedient, that of carrying on the race through our best and most worthy strains. We can be as certain of our result as the gardener who hoes away the weeds and plants good seed, and who knows that he can produce the plants he wants by his care in the selection of the seed. The human animal varies as much or more than the dog or pigeon, and there can be no doubt that just as by selection, all the varieties of dogs and pigeons have been bred from one or two original stocks, so races of men could be produced as different from ourselves as the tumbler from the wood pigeon, or the bulldog from the old Sussex hound. _Are we prepared to carry out Selective Methods?_