Chap. XIX. MENTAL POWERS OF MAX AND WOMAN. 329 
become as superior in mental endowment to Avoman, as 
the peacock is in ornamental plumage to the 23ealien. 
It must be borne in mind that the tendency in cha- 
racters acquired at a late period of life by either sex, 
to be transmitted to the same sex at the same age, and 
of characters acquired at an early age to be transmitted 
to both sexes, are rules which, though general, do not 
always hold good. If they always held good, Ave might 
conclude (but I am here Avandering beyond my proper 
bounds) that the inherited effects of the early education 
of boys and girls Avould be transmitted equally to both 
sexes ; so that the present inequality between the sexes 
in mental power could not be effaced by a similar 
course of early training ; nor can it have been caused 
by their dissimilar early training. In order that Avoman 
should reach the same standard as man, she ought, 
Avhen nearly adult, to be trained to energy and perse- 
verance, and to have her reason and imagination exer- 
cised to the highest point ; and then she Avould pro- 
bably transmit these qualities chiefly to her adult 
daughters. The Avhole body of women, hoAvever, could 
not be thus raised, unless during many generations 
the AA^omen Avho excelled in the above robust virtues 
Avere married, and produced offspring in larger numbers 
than other Avomen. As before remarked Avith respect 
to bodily strength, although men do not now fight for 
the sake of obtaining wives, and this form of selection 
has passed away, yet they generally have to undergo, 
during manhood, a severe struggle in order to maintain 
themselves and their families ; and this Avill tend to keep 
up or even increase their mental poAvers, and, as a con- 
sequence, the present inequality between the sexes.^^ 
An observation by Vogt bears on this subject : he says, it is a 
remarkable circumstance, that the difference between the sexes, as 
