VARIATION AND HEREDITY 241 



rearing offspring as other classes. More than this, 

 statistics show that the children of the most superior 

 classes of humanity, both morally and intellectually, 

 are very largely outnumbered by the mediocre or 

 inferior. In other words, the superior classes, the 

 cream of the race, are not continuing their heritage, 

 and were it not for constant reinforcement from the 

 " lower " grades of society, the so-called intellectual 

 element would soon be self -exterminated. Pro- 

 fessor Pearson estimates that twenty-five per cent of 

 the mothers in Great Britain produce fifty per cent of 

 the next generation. It is a matter of much moment 

 to civilized man from what classes the coming gener- 

 ations are to be born. So far as statistics may be 

 depended upon, it would seem that the proportion of 

 defectives, comprising all sorts of persons who, on 

 account of physical, moral, or mental abnormalities, 

 are a burden to society, is steadily and rapidly 

 increasing. 



Much attention is being given nowadays to this 

 problem and its solution. Francis Galton, who first 

 called attention to the subject, invented the word 

 "Eugenics," which he defined as " the science of being 

 well born." If man proves himself able to cope with 

 the problem, it will be because he has analyzed and 

 tested the facts of heredity, the knowledge of which, 

 alone will enable him to improve the human race, 

 or prevent it from slipping back from the present 

 standards of civilization. 



