OBLIGA T1ON IN PARENTHOOD. 155 



this is so, there is one point which stands out clearly 

 in this discussion ; and about this point there need 

 be no shadow of doubt, for of its truth, humanity has 

 had wide experience. It is, that we can improve our 

 race by adopting the one and only adequate expedi- 

 ent, that of carrying on the race through our best 

 and most worthy strains. We can be as certain of 

 our result as the gardener who hoes away the weeds 

 and plants good seed, and who knows that he can 

 produce the plants he wants by his care in the selec- 

 tion of the seed. The human animal varies as much 

 or more than the dog or pigeon, and there can be no 

 doubt that just as by selection, all the varieties of 

 dogs and pigeons have been bred from one or two 

 original stocks, so races of men could be produced as 

 different from ourselves as the tumbler from the 

 wood pigeon, or the bulldog from the old Sussex 

 hound. 



Are we prepared to carry out Selective Methods ? 



So much for the extreme possibilities of the 

 future, which we need hardly consider ; for the 

 present, humanity would be glad enough to be re- 

 presented by men and women of our best types, 

 sound in lung and limb and brain, full of bodily 

 vigour and capable of enjoying exercise both of 

 body and of mind. One cannot for a moment doubt 



