COMPETITION. 119 



Further Study of Individual Competition. 



Before, however, we attempt to arrive at a con- 

 clusion as to whether or not a man, unsuccessful in 

 the world's competition, as a rule contributes more or 

 less progeny than one who has been more fortunate, 

 let us examine more closely the details of this com- 

 petition, with a view to the better comprehension of 

 those conditions under which it takes place. 



Let us take a familiar illustration. In an ordinary 

 foot-race the best man gets in first, provided he is in 

 his proper form, and the race is looked upon as a test 

 of merit. In order to encourage competitors who 

 otherwise would be without a chance of winning, it is 

 usual to handicap some of these races, giving points 

 of advantage to all except the very best man who is 

 termed " scratch." The result of such a race is no 

 proper test of merit, and the winner is often the worst 

 of limb and wind in the whole competing team ; he 

 wins it because of the handicap he has received. Now 

 while the wild beast and very primitive savage are all 

 " scratch " and no " handicap " is given, on the other 

 hand civilised communities, as soon as they have 

 become firmly established, introduce the system of 

 handicapping, which does not necessarily give the 

 advantage to those most needing it, but which all the 

 same causes the struggle or race to cease to be so true 

 and efficient a test of pure merit as it was before. 



