124 A STUDY IN HEREDITY 



with their families were not tempted even in their 

 wildest youth.' 



Temperament has been assigned as a cause of 

 racial differences. But whence the differences of 

 racial temperament if not through alcoholic evolu- 

 tion ? All races had a common origin, and, there- 

 fore, had once a common temperament, which, to 

 judge by the analogy of primitive peoples, was 

 of that kind which renders intoxication delightful. 

 They have since diverged widely. In every case 

 the temperate races of modern times have suffered 

 prolonged elimination through alcohol ; the drunken 

 races little or none. 



Advance what other theory one will, and there 

 are numerous exceptions — which do not, according 

 to the silly saying, prove the rule — the theory of 

 alcoholic selection alone covers all the instances. 

 Hitherto it has been advanced mainly in technical 

 publications. So far as I am aware, it has met 

 with very general assent from biologists. But one 

 or two eminent gentlemen have advanced the 

 luminous hypothesis that a craving for alcohol may 



1 Various schemes of temperance have been founded on the beHef 

 that if more and better recreation were provided for the poorer classes 

 drunkenness vi'ould cease. Immense good would doubtless result. 

 The sum of human happiness would be increased, and many men on 

 the borderland might be rescued— those whose delight in alcohol is 

 comparatively weak, and who drink mainly for convivial purposes. 

 But the real drunkards who do not seek recreation, but something 

 entirely different, for which recreation is no substitute, mental paresis 

 would be left untouched. 



