PKEFACE 



It is hardly the Author's fault if this book appears to 

 lay claim to being the Manual of a new Social Science. 

 His primary object was to present in a compact 

 form what history, philosophy, science, and even 

 poetry and fiction have to teach on the subjecc of 

 marriage. From the collation of the facts disclosed 

 in many independent lines of inquiry certain leading 

 principles are evolved which may be found to be 

 worthy of attention. Hitherto the physical aspect 

 of evolution has almost exclusively engrossed the 

 attention of scientific men, and the important fact 

 remains unexplained that while there is practically 

 no difference in bodily form and structure between 

 savage and civilised man, the numerous races of 

 mankind exliibit much variety of mental capacity, 

 and are consequently more or less fitted to carry on 

 the struggle for existence. Physically, the savage is 

 sometimes superior to the European, having greater 



