CHAPTER X. 



Natural Selection (continued) — The Environment afforded by the Country. 



Having considered the injurious effects of town life, we may 

 now briefly turn our attention to the E as it obtains in the 

 country. 



Here, with the pure air and the open spaces, E stands 

 in very striking contrast to that of the central parts of large 

 towns. So favourable indeed is country life to health that 

 one w r ould scarcely expect to find there any deteriorated types. 

 Nevertheless, we do find such side by side with the best samples 

 of the race. The noblest specimens of men, taking them from 

 the physical point of view, are the outcome of long ancestral 

 country life. The country is, in fact, the great breeding 

 ground for man, as for so many other animals : it is the men 

 born and bred in the country who will be the forefathers of 

 future generations. 



How, then, are we to account for the inferior types of 

 physique and for the sickliness which are found often enough 

 in the country ? 



The good effects of country life are due to the purity of the 

 atmosphere and the abundant opportunity afforded for out- 

 door exercise, for in genuine country life the greater portion of 

 each day is spent out of doors, and not in confinement. Pure 

 air and proper exercise are the most important elements of a 

 healthy E. If to these we add proper food and clothing, we 

 have all that is wanted to make it physically complete and 

 perfect, and, given such an E, a healthy race must needs grow 

 up. No doubt, even under a perfect E many individuals 

 would be destroyed by accident, fever, and so forth, but death 

 due to such causes leaves no evil effect upon the race ; it, on 

 the contrary, rather tends to its improvement. 



