The Growth of the Marriage Relation. 87 



In the interests of the race this result must be deplored ; 

 but should it occur, it may point to the conclusion that the 

 highest evolutionary progress which mankind is capable of 

 must be looked for in another state of existence, where, 

 the mind not being subject as at present to material influ- 

 ences, its noblest faculties will attain their full develop- 

 ment. If, however, the instinct of race continues to be 

 sufficiently strong to induce the more intellectual class to 

 enter into the marriage relation, but under such a sense of 

 duty as that which led the followers of Zoroaster to address 

 prayers to Ormuzd that he would bless the union, and give 

 them children "renowned by merit, who would be chiefs 

 in the assemblies," the result might be the evolution of a 

 people superior in physical and mental constitution to any 

 the world has yet seen. At the same time, it is conceivable 

 that such a development of intellectual wealth might be 

 attended with a result similar to that which has been 

 observed in regard to the accumulation of material wealth, 

 a gradual lessening of the number of its possessors, and 

 their final extinction, leaving the race to be perpetuated by 

 those less abundantly endowed, mentally if not physically. 



There is, however, another possibility to be contem- 

 plated. With improvement in sanitary arrangements, and 

 in the general physical conditions under which the masses 

 of the people live, combined with immunity from warfare, 

 which must ultimately attend the progress of mankind in 

 civilization, the increase in population will be so great that 

 measures of some kind will have to be adopted to keep it 

 within reasonable limits. Whether it will then be proper 

 or politic to provide for the improvement of the race may 

 be left for posterity to decide. Schopenhauer was probably 

 right, however, when he said " could we prevent all villains 

 from becoming fathers of families, shut up the dunder- 

 heads in monasteries, . . . and provide every girl of spirit 

 and intellect with a husband worthy of her, we might look 

 for an age surpassing that of Pericles." 



