274 Heredity. 



biology. Having traced the origin and significance of 

 sex from its lowest manifestations to a point where it 

 becomes purely intellectual, the biologist may fairly 

 leave the subject in the hands of the psychologist. 



When this chapter was printed, several )^ears ago, I 

 was told by several teachers of great experience in the 

 education of both boys and girls that their observations 

 showed no constant difference in the intellectual powers 

 of the two sexes. They therefore disputed the accuracy 

 of my view. 



Taking the chapter alone, this is, no doubt, a fair criti- 

 cism ; but I believe that any reader who will examine 

 the subject in connection with the other chapters of this 

 book, as a part of the whole, and not as an isolated essay, 

 will perceive that we should not expect the intellectual 

 differences between men and women to be so well marked 

 and conspicuous during childhood as they become after 

 maturity is reached. 



The subject is such a fruitful source of controversy 

 that I can hardly hope to escape adverse criticism, and I 

 can only say that I have not approached it in a spirit 

 of controversy, and shall gladly welcome any discussion 

 which leads to the discovery of truth. 



The acceptance of my view should put an end to all 

 discussion as to the relative intellectual rank of men 

 and women; for if the two sexes contribute in different 

 ways to the welfare of the race, and fill equally impor- 

 tant but dissimilar places, there can be no question as to 

 relative superiority or inferiority. 



