264 THE MEANING OF EVOLUTION 



the still worse handicap of an illegitimate parentage, 

 with all its bitter train of scorn and shame. Ac- 

 cordingly, it must be possible before the law for 

 those who are not thoroughly vigorous to marry. 

 But, year by year, we may come nearer accomplish- 

 ing a finer mating by the aims and purposes we foster 

 in the growing generation. Marriages will never be 

 worth while when they are not freely entered into 

 by the contracting parties. Choice must be free and 

 unrestricted if it is to last for life; but this does not 

 mean that it must be unguarded. It w^ould be bitter 

 folly for parents to leave to their children, without 

 attempt to influence or restrain, the making of their 

 marriages. The mating of our children must be in- 

 spired, not directed. 



There is one taint from which society has the 

 right and the duty of freeing itself, so far as in its 

 power lies. This is the taint of feeble-mindedness. 

 Of all the calamities that can befall a human being, 

 feeble-mindedness is, perhaps, the worst. From most 

 misfortunes it is possible to recover; with most of 

 the rest one may exist without detriment to the race. 

 To be feeble-minded simply means to hark back to 

 the level of our animal ancestors, without regaining 

 their power to guide life. The animal is provided 

 with a bundle of instincts which tell him what to 

 do in all the ordinary emergencies of life. The hu- 



