Maturity. 185 



important a position as the female, and it may be 

 that even more regard is paid by man to his 

 development; for it is well understood that here as 

 elsewhere the tendency of the male to vary is 

 greatest, and it is to the development of superior 

 males that man looks for the power to enhance the 

 value of his herds and flocks. 



The female, being the conservative element, 

 nourishes that which is ; the male, being the radical 

 element, gives the impetus to departures from the 

 old type. 



It is not surprising to find the male more highly 

 individualized, as a rule, than the female. The 

 great benefaction, individuality, has come to all 

 the higher creatures through that increased power 

 of variation which is a result of sexual generation. 

 Upon both male and female, individuality has been 

 bestowed in abundance, perhaps upon the female 

 more as a result of inheritance, upon the male 

 through immediate power of variation. It must 

 not be supposed, however, that all power individu- 

 ally to vary has been denied the female ; this 

 doubtless is not so. She too possesses the inner 

 activity which causes variation, but apparently in 

 less degree than her mate. 



Universal in action, coming down through past 

 ages, working on a tremendous scale, the result of 

 sex life is limitless variation in both sexes. 



Nature is fearless; she works in great masses 

 without too stern a regard for details. She makes 



