SEXUAL SELECTION. 245 



lights in competition, and this leads to ambition which 

 passes too easily into selfishness. These latter qualities 

 seem to be his natural and unfortunate birthright. It is 

 generally admitted that with woman the powers of intui- 

 tion, of rapid perception, and perhaps of imitation, are 

 more strongly marked than in man ; but some, at least, of 

 these faculties are characteristic of the lower races, and 

 therefore of a past and lower state of civilization. 



The chief distinction in the intellectual powers of the 

 two sexes is shown by man's attaining to a higher emi- 

 nence, in whatever he takes up, than can woman— wheth- 

 er 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. 



Among the half-human progenitors of man, and 

 among 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, persever- 

 ance, 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 



