122 LIFE OF 



natural rate of increase ; for it is the greatest means of 

 preventing indolence from causing the race to become 

 stagnant or to degenerate. Only, there should be open 

 competition for all men ; and the most able should not 

 be prevented by laws or customs from succeeding best 

 and rearing the largest number of offspring. 



In summing up on the entire subject, Darwin expresses 

 himself with more than his wonted vigour and point. 

 On the one hand, he endeavours to disarm opposition by 

 quoting heroic monkeys as contrasted with degraded 

 barbarians; on the other hand, he welcomes the eleva- 

 tion of man so far above his barbarous ancestors. Finally, 

 he takes his stand upon truth, as against likes and dis- 

 likes. "The astonishment which I felt on first seeing 

 a party of Fuegians on a wild and broken shore will 

 never be forgotten by me, for the reflection at once 

 rushed into my mind such were our ancestors. These 

 men were absolutely naked and bedaubed with paint; 

 their long hair was tangled, their mouths frothed with 

 excitement, and their expression was wild, startled, and 

 distrustful. They possessed hardly any arts, and, like 

 wild animals, lived on what they could catch. They had 

 no government, and were merciless to every one not of 

 their own small tribe. He who has seen a savage in 

 his native land will not feel much shame, if forced to 

 acknowledge that the blood of some more humble 

 creature flows in his veins. For my own part, I would 

 as soon be descended from that heroic little monkey, who 

 braved his dreaded enemy in order to save the life of his 

 keeper ; or from that old baboon, who, descending from 

 the mountains, carried away in triumph his young comrade 



