PHYSICAL EVOLUTION 215 



ahead of England in another way ; education there has not been 

 the monopoly of the wealthy. Thus she has had the good of 

 civilisation without the harm. We, in the south, have felt its 

 deteriorating effects, while we have been slow to disseminate its 

 blessings among the masses. 



Looking further afield we see civilisation producing similar re- 

 sults in past times and in our own. The Persians of the mountains 

 come down and conquer the Medes of the plains. One wave of 

 conquest after another sweeps over the plains of India. The 

 hard races from the mountains of the north are more than a 

 match for the dwellers in the soft climate south of the 

 Himalayas. And we ourselves are able to hold India only 

 because we never attempt to settle there as colonists. Should 

 we ever make the experiment, and should the government of 

 the country be entrusted to the sons of the settlers, our Indian 

 empire would soon be a thing of the past. We are able to hold 

 India because we bring to the task the vigour that is bred by a 

 harder climate. And our environment has acted, not so much 

 by bracing the individual as by eliminating the weaklings of the 

 race. Hence the physical strength which is certainly one of the 

 qualities that are essential in an imperial people. 



The evidence would lead us to the conclusion that conflict 

 with other races or with hard physical conditions is necessary, 

 not only for the evolution, but for the maintenance of vigour. 



Let the luscious south-wind 



Breathe in lovers' sighs, 

 While the lazy gallants 



Bask in ladies' eyes. 

 What does he but soften 



Heart alike and pen ? 

 'Tis the hard grey weather 



Breeds hard Englishmen. 1 



1 From Charles Kingsley's Ode to the North-East Wind. 



