REPRODUCTION OF THE FITTEST 91 



ning of life, has been effected in the same way, and is Book i 

 possible in no other way. It is the result of selection 

 and rejection. In the human species, as in every 

 other species which has ever existed, no two indi- The fittest 

 viduals of a generation are alike in all respects ; there ving, 

 is infinite variation within certain narrow limits. 

 Some are slightly above the average in a particular 

 direction, as others are slightly below it ; and it is onl y in this 



d * way. 



only when the conditions prevail that are favour- 

 able to the preponderating reprodiiction of the former, 

 that advance in any direction becomes possible. To 

 formulate this as the immutable law of progress since 

 the beginning of life has been one of the principal 

 results of the biological science of the nineteenth 

 century. . . . To put it in words used by Professor 

 Flower in speaking of human society, ' Progress has 

 been due to the opportunity of those individuals who 

 are a little sitperior in some respects to their fellows 

 of asserting their superiority, and of continuing to 

 live, and of promulgating as an inheritance that 

 superiority.' ' 



The entire Spencerian position as regards the 

 social struggle for existence is here given us in a 

 nutshell. The competitive struggle is a process 

 which produces progress by means of the manner 

 in which it affects men in general. In any com- 

 munity the means of subsistence are being constantly 

 appropriated by the members who are a little 

 stronger than the rest, whilst those who are weaker 

 have an insufficient portion left them. The latter 

 therefore die early themselves ; or breed no children ; 



