PARENT AND OFFSPRING 141 



But the sale of children also died out gradually in 

 all Western countries, as people grew more civilized. 

 With the limitation of the father's power to do with 

 his children according to his will, the family bond 

 became stronger, and children were more intensely 

 appreciated for themselves, apart from their market- 

 able value. As there were no children to be disposed 

 of now by exposure or sale, the total number of chil- 

 dren born to each family gradually lessened. Even 

 then we find that there are still a greater number of 

 children born than can be reared, especially in back- 

 ward countries. Here the number of children per 

 family is greater than in those of more advanced 

 countries; but it has been found that wherever the 

 birth-rate is high, as, for instance, in Russia, Egypt, 

 India, etc., the number of deaths among children is 

 also considerable, so that in some districts barely 

 one-half of the children born survive beyond their 

 sixth year. This rule also holds good in a modified 

 way for more civilized countries. Thus there is un- 

 mistakable evidence that among the poorer classes, 

 which have generally large families, child mortality 

 is comparatively high ; while among the richer people, 

 who generally have fewer children, the loss is propor- 

 tionately less. It is quite clear that there is a con- 

 nection between these two facts. Children need 

 great care, especially in their early years, and it is 

 impossible for any person to give them the necessary 

 attention if they follow quickly one after the other. 

 So Nature in her cruel way weeds out those which 

 cannot struggle against the adverse conditions due 

 to poverty. It is naturally easier to rear and pro- 

 vide for a few children with limited means than a 



