EVOLUTION AND MARRIAGE 



beautiful may be products of the "merely" nat- 

 ural, evolution surveys the whole history of animal 

 reproduction, and its verdict is that monogamy is 

 not merely the ideal state, as all admit, but is 

 demonstrably the state towards which animal life 

 has long directed itself as towards a goal. In this 

 connection the services of the synthetic philosophy 

 are inestimable. There was granted to Spencer a 

 most distinguished disciple in the person of Ed- 

 ward Westermarck, late of Helsingfors, and now 

 of London, whose magnificent study of human 

 marriage has completed the pioneer work of the 

 Principles of Sociology. Professor Westermarck's 

 wider researches have but led him to confirm his 

 master's conclusion that monogamy is indicated 

 as the ideal and final form of the sex relationship. 

 This being the conclusion reached by students so 

 distinguished and profound to whose names may 

 be added that of Dr. George Elliot Howard, of the 

 University of Chicago, whose History of Matri- 

 monial Institutions is an honor to American learn- 

 ing the fearful need not be perturbed at the 

 vaticinations of that brilliant band of professional 

 jesters who decry the restrictions of monogamy, 

 or at the inept suggestion of Mr. George Meredith, 

 who, in an utterance which can scarcely be paral- 

 leled for its irresponsible mischievousness, coming 

 from so distinguished a source, has advocated the 

 return to the degrading custom of " leasehold mar- 

 riage" as practised by certain tribes of disappear- 

 ing savages. 



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