X 



HISTORICAL RACES 



1. In this chapter we deal with the factors bearing upon 

 fertility and elimination in the third of the three groups 

 described in Chapter V. In one important respect this and 

 the following chapter are contrasted with the preceding chapters. 

 In the latter we were dealing, not with the facts derived from the 

 peoples whom it was our object directly to investigate, but with 

 the facts derived from primitive races with the object of throwing 

 light upon prehistoric races. Here we are deahng with the facts 

 relating to the peoples whose position it is our object to consider. 

 The setting out of the facts relating to these races presents great 

 difficulties. The amount of information is huge, but for the 

 most part it is far from being of a satisfactory nature, and the 

 rapid changes which have occurred within the historical period 

 increase the difficulties. Only a brief review of the subject, 

 designed to illustrate the more important features, is attempted. 



The races under consideration are divided into four sub-groups. 

 Sub-group 1 includes the civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, 

 Greece, and Eome up to the fall of the Western Empire. In 

 these countries we have some knowledge of the progress from 

 Neolithic culture to a culture exhibiting a far greater command 

 over nature. From this culture is derived the later civihzation 

 of Europe, which we consider under sub-groups 3 and 4 — the 

 former beginning with Europe after the fall of the Western 

 Empire and ending roughly about a. d. 1760, the date given by 

 Marshall as marking the beginning of the industrial system, the 

 latter beginning about 1760, and including all European races 

 and their derivatives in America, Austraha, and so on. Generally 

 speaking, therefore, sub-group 1 includes the ancient empires, 

 sub-group 3 Europe from the Eoman Empire to the rise of the 

 industrial system, and sub-group 4 the epoch of the industrial 

 system. 



There remain those races which have passed beyond the culture 

 of the races included in the second group, but which have been 



Q 2 



