374 
SEXUAL selection: man. 
Part II. 
wives. The girls, before consenting to be betrothed, 
compel the men to shew themselves off, first in front 
and then behind, and “exhibit their paces.” They 
have been known to propose to a man, and they not 
rarely run away with a favoured lover. Witli the 
degraded bush-women of S. Africa, “when a girl has 
“grown up to womanhood without having been be- 
“ trothed, which, however, does not often happen, her 
“lover must gain her approbation, as well as tbit of 
the pai ents. Mr. Win wood Eeade made inquiries 
for me with respect to the negroes of Western Africa, 
and he informs me that “the women, at least among 
“ tlie more intelligent Pagan tribes, have no difficulty 
“ in getting the husbands whom they may desire, al- 
“ though it is considered unwomanly to ask a man to 
“ marry them. They are quite capable of falling in 
“ love, and of forming tender, passionate, and faithful 
“ attachments.” 
We thus see that with savages the women are not 
in quite so abject a state in relation to marriage as has 
often been supposed. They can tempt the men whom 
they prefer, and can sometimes reject those whom they 
dislike, either before or after marriage. Preference 
on the part of the women, steadily acting in any one 
direction, would ultimately affect the character of the 
tribe ; for the women would generally choose not merely 
the handsomer men, according to their standard of taste, 
A * ara > Voyages, &e. tom. ii. p. 23. Dobrizhoffer, ‘An Account 
ot the Abipones, vol. n. 1822, p. 207. Williams on the Fiji Wanders, 
as quoted by Lubbock, Origin of Civilisation,’ 1870, p. 79 . On the 
luegians, Amg and FitzRoy, ‘Voyages of the Adventure and 
Beagle vo . u. 1888. p. 182. On the Kalmucks, quoted by M‘Len- 
nan ‘ PramUve Homage, 1805 , „ 32. On the Malays, Lubbock, ibid, 
p. 16 . The Rev. J. bhooter, ‘On the Kafirs of Natal,’ 1857, p. 52-60. 
On the Bush-women, Burchell, ‘ Travels in S. Africa,’ vol ii 1824, 
p. 59. ’ ' 
