i8 9 6. REPRODUCTIVE SELECTION. 325 



Thus, while a selective death rate checks reproductive selection 

 as between class and class, a selective marriage rate, again, places 

 reproductive selection at an advantage as compared with natural 

 selection ; the population would accordingly appear to be ultimately, 

 and in the long run, reproducing itself from the artisan classes. 



I hope, later, to publish the analysis, curves, and statistics on 

 which these conclusions are based ; at present I only wish to draw 

 attention to the general result : that reproductive selection — at any 

 rate in civilised man — seems a factor of evolution equipotent to 

 natural selection, if, indeed, it be not prepotent. 



Karl Pearson. 



