130 DARWINISM AND RACE PROGRESS. 



barriers between class and class, so that wealth and 

 power is more readily accessible to those who were 

 once debarred from all hope of it by birth ; while the 

 children of the well-to-do can take up positions which 

 were at one time thought to be quite unworthy of 

 them. This, then, seems to be the tendency of modern 

 democratic effort, but it is very questionable whether 

 the result eventually achievable is one which, if under- 

 stood, will be very acceptable to the democracy. 

 Class distinctions of a very artificial kind are, un- 

 doubtedly, being rapidly destroyed, but only by the 

 reconstruction of others of a most enduring character. 

 The advantages which the future holds out are, as 

 they always have been, to the few and not to the 

 many, for the struggle and competition is still there, 

 and all cannot come in abreast. By a more complete 

 and thorough sifting from all classes of the capable 

 and intelligent, we are forming, and shall continue 

 rapidly to form an aristocracy of real worth and 

 distinction, separated more and more sharply from 

 the masses, as each generation goes by. 



We can hardly doubt that the more capable will al- 

 ways have at their disposal more to satisfy their wants 

 than the relatively incapable masses will have, for 

 society will always continue to expend upon the 

 musical composer or upon the skilful engineer a care 

 which would be thrown away upon a man capable of 

 only a limited development, since the resources of a 



