Ciiap. V.] CIVILIZED NATIONS. 167 



which lead to the advance of morality, namely, the ap- 

 probation of our fellow-men — the strengthening of our 

 sympathies by habit — example and imitation — reason — 

 experience and even self-interest — instruction during youth, 

 and religious feelings. 



A most important obstacle in civilized countries to an 

 increase in the number of men of a superior class has 

 been strongly urged by Mr. Greg and Mr. Galton, 18 namely, 

 the fact that the very poor and reckless, who are often 

 degraded by vice, almost invariably marry early, while 

 the careful and frugal, who are generally otherwise virtu- 

 ous, marry late in life, so that they may be able to sup- 

 port themselves and their children in comfort. Those 

 who marry early produce within a given period not only 

 a greater number of generations, but, as shown by Dr. 

 Duncan, 19 they produce many more children. The chil- 

 dren, moreover, that are born by mothers daring the 

 prime of life are heavier and larger, and therefore prob- 

 ably more vigorous, than those born at other periods. 

 Thus the reckless, degraded, and often vicious members 

 of society, tend to increase at a quicker rate than the 

 provident and generally virtuous members. Or as Mr. 

 Greg puts the case: "The careless, squalid, unaspiring 

 Irishman multiplies like rabbits: the frugal, foreseeing, 

 self respecting, ambitious Scot, stern in his morality, spir- 

 itual in his faith, sagacious and disciplined in his intelli- 

 gence, passes his best years in struggle and in celibacy, 

 marries late, and leaves few behind him. Given a land 

 originally peopled by a thousand Saxons and a thousand 



18 'Eraser's Magazine,' Sept. 1868, p. 353. 'Macmillan's Magazine,' 

 Aug. 1865, p. 318. The Rev. F. W. Farrar ('Fraser's Mag.,' Aug. 1870, 

 p. 264) takes a different view. 



19 " On the Laws of the Fertility 'of "Women," in' ' Transact. Royal 

 Soc.' Edinburgh, vol. xxlv. p. 287. See, also, Mr. Galton, ' Hereditary 

 Genius,' pp. 352-357, for observations to the above effect. 



