DECLINE IN THE BIRTH-RATE 193 



and other necessaries for the existing members of the 

 household. 



What can we oppose to such strong pressure ? 

 How can one encourage children of sound and able 

 parents ? 



Besides the absorbing interest of bringing into 

 existence and guiding the development of those who 

 may be expected to play honourable and useful parts 

 in the history of the nation, there is the wholesome 

 instinct of family, which leads us to take special care 

 for the future of our own name and race. To secure 

 the continued existence of a family a considerable 

 number of children are a necessity. With the changes 

 and chances of this mortal life, there is great probability 

 that the names will soon be clean put out of those 

 who, in homely phrase, put all their eggs into one 

 basket, or even into two or three. 



For the welfare, happiness, and training of the 

 children themselves a fairly large family without doubt 

 is best. Moreover, a time frequently comes when 

 positions are reversed, when the parents, and other 

 members of the older generation who have less claim, 

 may be a source of anxiety to the children. Then 

 arises the duty of sharing exhausting care, or even 

 financial responsibility, instead of merely dividing 

 possessions. In such cases, the many again have 

 advantages over the few, and happy are the parents 

 who need not look to strangers for care and sustenance 

 in their old age. 



Perhaps in time to come we may devise arrange- 

 ments which may reinforce these arguments by lighten- 

 ing the immediate economic burden on parents. It is 



o 



