INTRODUCTION 7 



race must look forward most ardently to further pro- 

 gress and to the evolution of a higher and more constant 

 type of humanity. Yet we know that the slow upward 

 progress of mankind has not moved evenly on its 

 way ; that there have been catastrophes and disasters 

 on a large scale ; that nations of great promise have 

 been wiped out ; that empires have disappeared ; that 

 civilizations of old standing and high achievement 

 have vanished ; that nations, empires and civilizations 

 have crumbled away at the first touch of contact with 

 some despised, barbaric, untamed people, whose only 

 merit was the purity and vigour of their stock, the 

 simplicity of their habits, and the sanctity and strength 

 of their family life. 



Looking back down long vistas of history, at the 

 wrecks of great nations, we may well ask what agency 

 we may invoke to prevent the deterioration of our 

 race in time to come, and to secure its regeneration 

 at the fount of strength, virtue and virility. 



If we are to reckon as inadequate efforts permanently 

 to improve a race by alterations in the conditions of 

 life, by improvement in education and hygiene, by 

 equalization of opportunity and of the fruits of achieve- 

 ment, the necessary complement is some process of 

 natural selection, that survival and preponderating re- 

 production of the fittest, the theory of which was first 

 clearly stated by Darwin and Wallace, and has been 

 amplified, corrected and extended by many biologists 

 since first they propounded it. 



And here another caution is necessary. The 

 " fittest " in the process of natural selection are the 

 fittest for the existing environment. If the environ- 



