_The residue._—It is also objected that if the inferior moiety of
a race are left to intermarry, their produce will be increasingly
inferior. This is certainly an error. The law of “regression
towards mediocrity” insures that their offspring as a whole, will
be superior to themselves, and if as I sincerely hope, a freer
action will be hereafter allowed to selective agencies than
hitherto, the portion of the offspring so selected would be better
still. The influences that now _withstand_ the free action of
selective agencies are numerous, they include indiscriminate
charity.
_Passion of love._—The argument has been repeated that love is too
strong a passion to be restrained by such means as would be
tolerated at the present time. I regret that I did not express the
distinction that ought to have been made between its two stages,
that of slight inclination and that of falling thoroughly into
love, for it is the first of these rather than the second that I
hope the popular feeling of the future will successfully resist.
Every match-making mother appreciates the difference. If a girl is
taught to look upon a class of men as tabooed, whether owing to
rank, creed, connections, or other causes, she does not regard
them as possible husbands and turns her thoughts elsewhere. The
proverbial “Mrs. Grundy” has enormous influence in checking the
marriages she considers indiscreet.
_Eugenics as a factor in religion._—Remarks have been made
concerning eugenics as a religion; this will be the subject of the
brief memoir that follows these remarks.
It is much to be desired that competent persons would severally take up
one or other of the many topics mentioned in my second memoir, or others
of a similar kind, and work it thoroughly out as they would any ordinary
scientific problem; in this way solid progress would be made. I must be
allowed to re-emphasise my opinion that an immense amount of
investigation has to be accomplished before a definite system of
Eugenics can be safely framed.
EUGENICS AS A FACTOR IN RELIGION.
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