564 The Descent of Man. Part III. 



Df the lower races, and therefore of a past and lower state of 

 civilisation. 



The chief distinction in the intellectual powers of the two 

 Bexes is shewn by man's attaining to a higher eminence, in 

 whatever he takes up, than can woman— whether requiring 

 deep thought, reason, or imagination, or merely the use of the 

 senses and hands. If two lists were made of the most eminent 

 men and women in poetry, painting, sculpture, music (inclusive 

 both of composition and performance), history, science, and 

 philosophy, with half-a-dozen names under each subject, the 

 two lists would not bear comparison. We may also infer, from 

 the law of the deviation from averages, so well illustrated by 

 Mr. Galton, in his work on ' Hereditary Genius,' that if men are 

 capable of a decided pre-eminence over women in many subjects, 

 the average of mental power in man must be above that of woman. 

 Amongst the half-human progenitors of man, and amongst 

 savages, there have been struggles between the males during 

 many generations for the possession of the females. But mere 

 bodily strength and size would do little for victory, unless 

 associated with courage, perseverance, and determined energy. 

 With social animals, the young males have to pass through 

 many a contest before they win a female, and the older males 

 have to retain their females by renewed battles. They have, 

 also, in the case of mankind, to defend their females, as well as 

 their young, from enemies of all kinds, and to hunt for their joint 

 subsistence. But to avoid enemies or to attack them with 

 success, to capture wild animals, and to fashion weapons, requires 

 the aid of the higher mental faculties, namely, observation, 

 reason, invention, or imagination. These various faculties will 

 thus have been continually put to the test and selected during 

 manhood ; they will, moreover, have been strengthened by use 

 during this same period of life. Consequently, in accordance 

 with the principle often alluded to, we might expect that they 

 would at least tend to be transmitted chiefly to the male offspring 

 at the corresponding period of manhood. 



Now, when two men are put into competition, or a man with 

 a woman, both possessed of every mental quality in equal per- 

 fection, save that one has higher energy, perseverance, and 

 courage, the latter will generally become more eminent in every 

 pursuit, and will gain the ascendancy. 24 He may be said 

 to possess genius— for genius has been declared by a great 



24 J. Stuart Mill remarks (' The " require most plodding, and long 



Subjection of Women/ 1869, p. 122), "hammering at single thoughts. 



"The things in which man most What is this but energy and per- 



u excels woman are those which severance ? 



