234 THE TREND OF THE RACE 
status, but the general tendency it exhibits is in harmony with 
much other evidence. 
The average ages of the first marriage in different classes in 
Copenhagen for the years 1878-1882 are given by Rubin and 
Westergaard as follows: 
Age of Marriage According to Occupation in Copenhagen 
Men Women 
Officials, Merchants................... 32.2 26.5 
Artizans, Shopkeepers................. 31.2 27.6 
Téachersic nash icagacssncunaccminss « 29.7 26.5 
Lower Officials. .........0.000..00000. 28.0 26.8 
LabOrets..o4 +5.cy cies: kee oe eees dees 27.5 26.8 
The diverse tendencies exhibited in sexual selection among 
human beings render it difficult to estimate the nature of its 
influence. There has been no comprehensive study in any 
community of the eugenic worth of those who marry as compared 
with those who do not marry. Such a study in several communi- 
ties of different social and economic levels would doubtless yield 
results of much interest and value. We know that many persons 
remain unmarried on account of various forms of congenital 
inferiority or defect both in mind and body. It is probable that 
a much larger proportion of our population are coming to remain 
unmarried because they wish to be economically independent, or 
free to follow their own lines of interest, or because their ideals of 
a life partner are so high that they have never found the person 
whom they would consent to marry. Are the fine types of hu- 
manity who now remain single compensated for by those whose 
natural inferiority or undesirability prevents them from marry- 
ing? There is little evidence that such is the case. At present 
it is very doubtful if the net result of sexual selection is in the 
direction of racial improvement. 
1“The marrying class is nowadays the class that lacks the physiological qual- 
