DARWINISM AND POLITICS. 53 



costly ; where incomes were chiefly derived from profes- 

 sional sources, and not much through inheritance; where 

 every lad had a chance of showing his abilities, and, if 

 highly gifted, was enabled to achieve a first-class education 

 and entrance into professional life, by the liberal help of 

 the exhibitions and scholarships which he had gained in 

 his early youth ; where marriage was held in as high honour 

 as in ancient Jewish times ; where the pride of race was 

 encouraged (of course I do not refer to the nonsensical 

 sentiment of the present day, that goes under that name) ; 

 where the weak could find a welcome and a refuge in 

 celibate monasteries or sisterhoods ; and lastly, where the 

 better sort of emigrants and refugees from other lands were 

 invited and welcomed, and their descendants naturalized." 

 (p. 362.) 



On almost the last page of Mr. Galton's 

 book we have these words : " The human 

 race can gradually modify its own nature." 

 (P- 375-) Take along with this a conclusion of 

 Darwin's : " It may be doubted whether any 

 character can be named that is distinctive of a 

 race and is constant," 1 and I do not think there 

 remains much excuse for the conclusions of 

 fatalism and laissez /aire that are often drawn 

 from the doctrine of heredity. Especially, if 

 we cannot trust to acquired habits being trans- 

 mitted merely by descent, have we additional 



1 Descent of Man, p. 174. 





