PSYCHIC SELECTION 169 



Men of genius should not be considered simply 

 as exceptions, but, on the contrary, as a witness of 

 what intelligence is capable. This is still a virgin 

 soil, in which everything has to be created. 

 Remember the opinion of Ramon y Cajal to which 

 I referred above (p. 96), in which he says that the 

 human brain is still in full evolution by the progress 

 of its psychic neuronas, whether in number or 

 quality, and we shall understand that, if human 

 ingenuity left to its own resources has accomplished 

 such wonders, of what would it not be capable 

 upon the development of all the powers of which 

 it is susceptible ? Happy the humanity that comes 

 to see the day when the brain is cultivated by a 

 proper adaptation, and is selected and perpetuated 

 by heredity ! This, which for some primitive 

 brains incapable of the smallest induction appears 

 a Utopia, is as certain as that by means of the 

 cultivation and selection of flowers have been 

 obtained species incomparably more beautiful 

 than the natural ones. 



In the second part I shall deal with psychic 

 selection as one of the indispensable biological 

 conditions for the progress of super-organic evolu- 

 tion ; it will suffice for the present to know that 

 not only it does not exist, but that in a society 

 organised like the present such relation is 

 impossible. 



