1860-1882] DESCENT OF MAN 33 



has already noticed to me your " high-minded " conduct on Letter 406 

 this head. 



But now for your Man paper, about which I should like 

 to write more than I can. The great leading idea is quite 

 new to me — viz. that during late ages the mind will have 

 been modified more than the body ; yet I had got as far as 

 to see with you, that the struggle between the races of man 

 depended entirely on intellectual and moral qualities. The 

 latter part of the paper I can designate only as grand and 

 most eloquently done. I have shown your paper to two or 

 three persons who have been here, and they have been equally 

 struck with it. I am not sure that I go with you on all 

 minor points : when reading Sir G. Grey's account of the 

 constant battles of Australian savages, I remember thinking 

 that Natural Selection would come in, and likewise with the 

 Esquimaux, with whom the art of fishing and managing 

 canoes is said to be hereditary. I rather differ on the rank, 

 under a classificatory point of view, which you assign to 

 man ; I do not think any character simply in excess ought 

 ever to be used for the higher divisions. Ants would not be 

 separated from other hymenopterous insects, however high 

 the instinct of the one, and however low the instincts of the 

 other. With respect to the differences of race, a conjecture 

 has occurred to me that much may be due to the correlation 

 of complexion (and consequently hair) with constitution. 

 Assume that a dusk)- individual best escaped miasma, and 

 you will readily see what I mean. I persuaded the Director- 

 General of the Medical Department of the Army to send 

 printed forms to the surgeons of all regiments in tropical 

 countries to ascertain this point, but I daresay I shall never 

 get any returns. Secondly, I suspect that a sort of sexual 

 selection has been the most powerful means of changing the 

 races of man. I can show that the different races have a 

 widely different standard of beauty. Among savages the 

 most powerful men will have the pick of the women, and they 

 will generally leave the most descendants. I have collected 

 a few notes on man, but I do not suppose I shall ever use 

 them. Do you intend to follow out your views? and if 

 would you like at some future time to have my few references 

 and notes? lam sure 1 hardly know whether they are of 

 any value, and they are at present in a state of chaos. 

 VOL. II. 3 



