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The Descent of Man

The Descent of Man

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In civilised life man is largely, but by no means<br />

exclusively, influenced in the choice <strong>of</strong> his wife<br />

by external appearance; but we are chiefly concerned<br />

with primeval times, and our only<br />

means <strong>of</strong> forming a judgment on this subject is<br />

to study the habits <strong>of</strong> existing semi-civilised<br />

and savage nations. If it can be shewn that the<br />

men <strong>of</strong> different races prefer women having<br />

various characteristics, or conversely with the<br />

women, we have then to enquire whether such<br />

choice, continued during many generations,<br />

would produce any sensible effect on the race,<br />

either on one sex or both according to the form<br />

<strong>of</strong> inheritance which has prevailed.<br />

It will be well first to shew in some detail that<br />

savages pay the greatest attention to their personal<br />

appearance. (42. A full and excellent account<br />

<strong>of</strong> the manner in which savages in all<br />

parts <strong>of</strong> the world ornament themselves, is given<br />

by the Italian traveller, Pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>Man</strong>tegazza,<br />

'Rio de la Plata, Viaggi e Studi,' 1867, pp.

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