THE RELATIVE STRENGTH OF 

 NURTURE AND NATURES 



When we approach the fundamental problems 

 of human life, and endeavour to study the causes 

 which make for the physical and mental fitness of 

 a nation, we are at once struck by the vast network 

 of associated factors, which render so complex any 

 attempt at a solution of the simplest problem in the 

 relationship of nurture and environment to human 

 progress. 



We might for example discover that the mentally 

 and physically fitter child comes from the cleaner 

 and less crowded home, and therefore argue that 

 the spread of such homes is a condition for national 

 progress. But further investigation might show that 

 the essential condition for such homes is the exist- 

 ence of mentally and physically fit parents, and that 

 the fitness of the children flows after all from the 

 parentage and not from the home. 



Or again if we take the problem of employment 

 of mothers, we might discover that employed mothers 

 have the healthier children, and we might on this 

 ground oppose any attempt to restrict the factory 

 work of women during childbearing years. But on 



^ This paper was delivered as the seventh of a course of Eight 

 Lectures on National Eugenics at the Galton Laboratory 1909. 



I — 2 



