THE LAWS OF DESCENT 107 



conformity of one general principle in Evolution both mentally 

 and physically, being one and the same adaptation of one 

 uniform and fixed process of the infinitely perfect uniformity 

 and conformity of creation and evolution in all its shapes and 

 phases. Darwin writes as follows. " Origin of Species, " 

 page 17, chapter I. : 



" Geoff roy St. Hilaire's experiments show that unnatural 

 treatment of the embryo causes monstrosities ; and 

 monstrosities cannot be separated by any clear line of dis- 

 tinction from mere variations. But I am most strongly 

 inclined to suspect that the most frequent cause of vari- 

 ability may be attributed to the male and female 

 reproductive elements having been affected prior to the 

 act of inception. Several reasons make me believe in this ; 

 but the chief one is the remarkable effect which confine- 

 ment or cultivation has on the functions of the 

 reproductive system." 



This is a striking instance of the conformity of mental and 

 physical evolution, and I may as well impress upon the 

 reader that I had not read this quotation at the time I wrote 

 the previous portion of this chapter stating that mental 

 talents were decided prior to conception. But it must be 

 borne in mind that about three hundred years must elapse 

 before the repetition or recurrence of like events in the course 

 of history, so that many men and minds are reproduced that 

 are unsuited to their environments, so that although they 

 have the same talents as made great men in other days, they 

 die unnoticed and unappreciated. Hence it is that just as 

 the bodily survival was decided by the hereditary preponder- 

 ance of certain animal strains of utility, so the preponderance 

 of mental proficiency will be subject to the same deciding laws 

 of descent, and by the amount of superior energy a family, 

 nation or race may exert, will be decided the survival and 

 fitness of such a family in mind and soul to retain the rights 

 of rebirth and re-creation, and the extinction of the unfittest 

 of others till crime shall be no more. 



Do not make the mistake of considering wealth as a class 

 distinction, for it is not ; it is only God's reward for efficiency. 

 I use the word class here and elsewhere in this treatise as 



