180 THE DESCENT OF MAN. Part I. 



Obscure as is the problem of the advance of civilisation, 

 we can at least see that a nation which produced during 

 a lengthened period the greatest number of highly intel- 

 lectual, energetic, brave, patriotic, and benevolent men, 

 would generally prevail over less favoured nations. 



Natural selection follows from the struggle for exist- 

 ence ; and this from a rapid rate of increase. It is 

 impossible not bitterly to regret, but whether wisely 

 is another question, the rate at which man tends to 

 increase ; for this leads in barbarous tribes to infan- 

 ticide and many other evils, and in civilised nations to 

 abject poverty, celibacy, and to the late marriages of 

 the prudent. But as man suffers from the same physical 

 evils with the lower animals, he has no right to expect 

 an immunity from the evils consequent on the struggle 

 for existence. Had he not been subjected to natural 

 selection, assuredlv he would never have attained to 

 the rank of manhood. When we see in many parts 

 of the world enormous areas of the most fertile land 

 peopled by a few wandering savages, but which are 

 capable of supporting numerous happy homes, it might 

 be argued that the struggle for existence had not been 

 sufficiently severe to force man upwards to his highest 

 standard. Judoino- from all that we know of man and 

 the lower animals, there has always been sufficient 

 variability in the intellectual and moral faculties, for 

 their steady advancement through natural selection. 

 No doubt such advancement demands many favourable 

 concurrent circumstances ; but it may well be doubted 

 whether the most favourable would have sufficed, had 

 not the rate of increase been rapid, and the consequent 

 struggle for existence severe to an extreme degree. 



On tlie evidence that all civilised nations were once bar- 

 barous, — As we have had to consider the steps by which 



