9 



average height and chest girth having increased in both sexes. 

 The size of the brain, especially of the sensory portions, is also 

 increasing. The only drawback to this is the increased difficulty 

 of child-birth, which is characteristic of civilised as contrasted 

 with savage life. In physique^ then, we may say that there is no 

 serious evidence of degeneracy as the result of modern civilization. 



Has the duration of life decreased ? So far from this being 

 the case, it can be shown that the duration of life has steadily 

 increased during the present century. In England and Wales 

 1838-54 the expectation of life for males was 39'41 years, and in 

 1871-80 it was 40-85, and in Brighton 1881-90 it was 43'09. This 

 is the average duration of life. It may be stated thus : Giving the 

 duration of life for ages 25 to 65, — the most important working 

 years of life, — 100 males in the aggregate lived 69 more years in 

 England at ages 25-65 according to experience of 1881-90 than 

 during the same period of life according to the experiences of 

 England in 1838-54. It is evident, therefore, that although a 

 large share of the gain has been in the early years of life, it has 

 been shared at the ages 25 to 65. 



To sum up, then, so far as physical degeneration is con- 

 cerned, notwithstanding the unfavourable influence of the in- 

 creased proportion of urban population, there is reason to look 

 favourably on our prospects. With increased provision of open 

 spaces in our towns on which so much stress is now being 

 wisely laid, with improved and better ventilated houses, with 

 more attention to out-door sports, we can look to the future 

 without any fear of serious physical degeneration. 



When we turn to the question of mental degeneration, it is 

 possible to speak much more hopefully. There is, in the first place, 

 a larger inheritance of transmitted thought, than any previous 

 generation has enjoyed. Thus each member of the community 

 now starts at a greater advantage than ever before. It is prob- 

 able that originality may become less frequent, and individual 

 fame may become more difficult of attainment. In history the 

 names of certain men stand out as associated with special dis- 

 coveries. When these cases are examined it will generally be 

 found that the discovery had been led up to by a series of dis- 

 coveries which ai'e now almost forgotten. In the future it is 

 probable that this tendency will increase. In the multitude of 

 scientific workers individual credit will suffer, but science will 

 progress. 



The outlook from a moral standpoint is even more favourable. 

 The present standard of morality is much higher than ever before 



