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1891.] The Coming Man. 623 
consider their defects as their misfortunes, and not the cause of 
their literary bents, for mental deformity has among potentates 
been the cause of untold suffering to nations. Neither physical 
nor mental perfection (if we can grant that such things existed) 
seem to have assured lasting integrity to either body or mind. 
‘The Spartans as a race do not appear to have been the fittest to 
survive, and during certain epochs in European history the man 
who dared to think at all could with difficulty keep his head on 
his shoulders. 
But we must not lose sight of the fact that the world has 
profited more by the individual labors of men and women whose 
intellectual greatness was coupled with such extreme modesty 
that, while in quiet ways their power for good was incalculable, 
they never cared to take credit for it. “Full many a flower,” 
etc., as Cowper has it. 
As good machinery may, other things being equal, be expected 
to do good work, or better than imperfect machinery, a certain 
amount of good health is requisite for the accomplishment of any 
ordinary life-work. 
en there must be suitable consideration of the fact that were 
society built upon the principle of the “One-Hoss Shay,’ the 
wheels could not do the work of the thills, and so on, but each 
part could do its perfect work only by reason of the radical per- 
fection of differences. So we are forced to regard the “ perfect 
man ” as one who is suited to his particular place and environ- 
ment; and as development is only possible to its fullest extent 
when environment, opportunity, and ability are favorable, we will 
have to suppose a case to which the following applies: 
1. Excellent physical and mental heredity has barred out the 
chances of consumption, insanity, liquor addiction, criminality, 
decrepitude, or ugliness. 
2. As “every child has the right to be well born,’ so he has 
the right to good training, and our typical better man can only 
come from better folk with the right ideas of nurture. 
3. This entails having not too many in the family, for the lower 
the race the more prolific; and highest culture is possible only, 
as a rule, where time can be devoted to the rearing ad instruction 
of a few children. 
