82 



NATURE 



[May 26, 1904 



writer is of opinion that it would be better to take a less 

 comprehensive course than to omit " graphical methods " 

 entirely. 



The best method for mechanics, as for all physical 

 sciences, is : — 



(i) Experimental work to be carried out by the boys. 



(2) Consideration of, discussion on, and deduction from 

 the experimental data obtained by the boys, with an 

 occasional demonstration by the teacher to clench any par- 

 ticular point. This treatment of the experimental work to 

 involve both analytical and graphical methods. 



In fact, a truly educational course in mechanics is im- 

 possible without experimental work. (Jranted this experi- 

 mental work, the writer is of opinion that the aim of the 

 students will be considerably improved, and not only so, but 

 (here will be a complete absence of wild " shots." 



S. Irwin Crookes. 



Secondary and Technical School Clay Cross, 

 Chesterfield, May 15. 



EUGEMCS; ITS DEFINITION, SCOPE AND 



AIMS.^ 

 "pL'GENICS is the science which deals with all in- 

 -•-^ fluences that improve and develop the inborn 

 qualities of a race. But what is meant by improve- 

 ment? We must leave morals as far as possible out of 

 the discussion on account of the almost hopeless diffi- 

 culties they raise as to whether a character as a whole 

 is good or bad. The essentials of eufjenics may, how- 

 ■ever, be easily defined. All would agree that it was 

 better to be healthy than sick, vigorous than weak, well 

 fitted than ill fitted for their part in life. In short, that 

 it was better to be good rather than bad specimens of 

 their kind, whatever that kind might be. There are 

 a vast number of conflicting ideals, of alternative 

 characters, of incompatible civilisations, which are 

 wanted to give fulness and interest to life. The aim of 

 eugenics is to represent each class or sect by its best 

 specimens, causing them to contribute more than their 

 proportion to the next generation ; that done, to leave 

 them tn work out their common civilisation in their own 

 way. 



The course of procedure that lies within the functions 

 of a learned and active society would be somewhat as 

 follows : — 



(i) Dissemination of a knowledge of the laws of 

 heredity so far as they are surely known, and promotion 

 of their further study. Few seem to be aware how 

 greatly the knowledge of what may be termed the 

 actuarial side of heredity has advanced in recent years. 

 The average closeness of kinship in each degree now 

 admits of exact definition and of being treated mathe- 

 matically, like birth- and death-rates, and the other 

 topics with which actuaries are concerned. 



(2) Historical inquiry into the rates with which the 

 various classes of society (classified according to civic 

 usefulness) have contributed to the population at various 

 times, in ancient and modern nations. There is strong 

 reason for believing that national rise and decline are 

 closely connected with this influence. 



(3) .Systematic collection of facts showing the circum- 

 stances in which large and thriving families have 

 most frequently originated; in other words, the condi- 

 tions of eugenics, on which much more information is 

 wanted than is now to be had. It would be no great 

 burden to a society, including many members who had 

 eugenics at heart, to initiate and to preserve a large 

 collection of such records for the use of statistical 

 students. The committee charged with the task would 

 have to consider very carefully the form of their circular 



1 Abridged from a note read before the Sociological Society on May 16 by 

 Dr. Francis Gallon, F.R.S. 



NO. 1804, VOL. 70] 



and the persons entrusted to distribute it. Thev should 

 ask only for as much useful information as could be 

 easily, and would be readily, supplied bv anv member 

 of the family appealed to. The point to be ascertained 

 is the status of the two parents at the time of their 

 marriage, whence its more or less eugenic character 

 might have been predicted if the larger knowledge that 

 we hope to obtain had then existed. The reasons 

 would have to be shown why the children deserved to 

 be entitled a " thriving " family. A manuscript col- 

 lection such as this might hereafter develop into a 

 " golden book " of thriving families. The act of sys- 

 tematically collecting records of thriving families 

 would have the further advantage of familiarising the 

 public with the fact that eugenics had at length become 

 a subject of serious scientific study by an energetic 

 society. 



(4) Influences affecting marriage. The remarks of 

 Lord Bacon in his essay on death may appropriately be 

 quoted here. He savs, with the view of minimising its 

 terrors : — 



" There is no passion in the mind of men so weak, 

 but it mates and masters the fear of death. . . . Revenge 

 triumphs over death; love slights it; honour aspireth to 

 it ; grief flveth to it ; fear pre-occupateth it. " 



Exactly the same kind of considerations apply to 

 marriage. The passion of love seems so overpowering 

 that it may be thought folly to try to direct its course. 

 But plain facts do not confirm this view. Social in- 

 fluences of all kinds have immense power in the end, 

 and they are very various. If unsuitable marriages 

 from the eugenic point of view were banned socially, or 

 even regarded with the unreasonable disfavour which 

 some attach to cousin-marriages, very few would be 

 made. The multitude of marriage restrictions that 

 have proved prohibitive among uncivilised people would 

 require a volume to describe. 



(5) Persistence in setting forth the national im- 

 portance of eugenics. 



There are three stages to be passed through before 

 eugenics can be widely practised. First, it must 

 be made familiar as an academic question, until 

 its exact importance has been understood and 

 accepted as a fact. Secondly, it must be recog- 

 nised as a subject the practical development of 

 which is in near prospect, and requires serious 

 consideration. Thirdly, it must be introduced into 

 the national conscience, like a new religion. It 

 has, indeed, strong claims to become an orthodox 

 religious tenet of the future, for eugenics cooperate 

 with the workings of nature by securing that humanity 

 shall be represented by the fittest races. What nature 

 does blindly, slowly and ruthlessly, man may do pro- 

 vidently, quickly and kindly. As it lies within his 

 power, so it becomes his duty to work in that direction, 

 just as it is his duty to be charitable to those in mis- 

 fortune. The improvement of our stock seems one of 

 the highest objects that can be reasonably attempted. 

 We are ignorant of the ultimate destinies of humanity, 

 but feel perfectly sure that it is as noble a work to raise 

 its level as it would be disgraceful to abase it. I see 

 no impossibility in eugenics becoming a religious 

 dogma among mankind, but its details must first be 

 worked out sedulously in the study. Over-zeal leading 

 to hasty action would do harm by holding out ex- 

 pectations of a near golden age which would certainly 

 be falsified and cause the science to be discredited. The 

 first and main point is to secure the general intel- 

 lectual acceptance of eugenics as a hopeful and most 

 important study. Then let its principles work into the 

 heart of the nation, which will gradually give practical 

 effect to them in ways that we may not wholly foresee. 



