An Introduction to a Biology 



think of marriage under some regulation and not enough 

 of the effects of self-interest and of social and religious senti- 

 ment." The term Eugenics was first applied by Galton to 

 the scientific attempt to ameliorate the human race in his 

 " Human Faculty," which appeared in 1883 ; and his interest 

 and inquiries up to date were gathered up into his " Huxley 

 Lecture " before the Anthropological Institute in 1901 on 

 the " Possible Improvement of the Human Breed under 

 the existing conditions of Law and Sentiment." 



The active prosecution of eugenic inquiry has been handed 

 over to the professed representatives of the Biometric school. 

 How this has been done may best be told in Galton's own 

 simple words. After referring to the foundation by Professor 

 Karl Pearson of a Biometric laboratory in University College 

 and the institution of Biometrika and his connection with 

 it as Consulting Editor, he says (" Memories of My Life," 

 p. 320), " The ground had thus become more or less prepared 

 for further advance ; so after talking over matters with the 

 authorities of the University of London and obtaining their 

 ready concurrence, I supplied sufficient funds to allow of 

 a small establishment for the furtherance of Eugenics. The 

 University provided rooms and gave the sanction of their 

 name and various facilities, and I provided for a Research 

 Fellow and a Research Scholar. The Eugenics laboratory of 

 the University of London is now situated in University 

 College, in connection with Professor Karl Pearson's Bio- 

 metric laboratory, and I am glad to say he has consented 

 to take it for the present at least under his very able super- 

 intendence ; as I am too old and infirm to look properly 

 after it." Eugenics, it may be well to remind the reader 

 at this point, is officially defined in the minutes of the Uni- 

 versity of London as " The study of agencies under social 

 control that may improve or impair the racial qualities of 

 future generations either physically or morally." 



The actual investigation of eugenic problems is thus 

 cared for. But there has also sprung into existence the 



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