STERILITY OF THE CAPABLES. 147 



parents, and would lead to their neglect, or de- 

 privation of some of those advantages which we 

 have already seen to be so necessary for life's 

 struggle. 



However true this may be, and however we may 

 sympathise with a parent's desire to do his best by 

 his offspring, it is likewise true that this is an im- 

 portant means, and probably one of greatly increas- 

 ing importance, by which the upper and middle 

 classes are becoming, relatively speaking, sterile. It 

 is probable, too, that this sterility will be mostly 

 found in the case of those who rise in life and have 

 a longer and more difficult battle to fight, and who 

 have, therefore, most cause to avoid unnecessary 

 complication. 



Fertility of French and English Marriages Contrasted. 



We can see very clearly in the pages of contem- 

 porary history the disastrous effects which may 

 follow diminished fertility. Owing to custom, and 

 subsequently to legislation, property in France is 

 divided equally among the children of a family ; and 

 in consequence of this, were there many children to a 

 marriage, this property would be split up into smaller 

 and smaller portions, insufficient at last to furnish 

 the necessities of life. Among the rural population, 

 a farmer by thrift can live and marry on his small 



