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The Descent of Man

The Descent of Man

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generation…It is not the weal or woe <strong>of</strong> any<br />

one individual, but that <strong>of</strong> the human race to<br />

come, which is here at stake." (1. 'Schopenhauer<br />

and Darwinism,' in 'Journal <strong>of</strong> Anthropology,'<br />

Jan. 1871, p. 323.<br />

<strong>The</strong>re is, however, reason to believe that in certain<br />

civilised and semi- civilised nations sexual<br />

selection has effected something in modifying<br />

the bodily frame <strong>of</strong> some <strong>of</strong> the members. <strong>Man</strong>y<br />

persons are convinced, as it appears to me<br />

with justice, that our aristocracy, including under<br />

this term all wealthy families in which primogeniture<br />

has long prevailed, from having<br />

chosen during many generations from all classes<br />

the more beautiful women as their wives,<br />

have become handsomer, according to the European<br />

standard, than the middle classes; yet<br />

the middle classes are placed under equally<br />

favourable conditions <strong>of</strong> life for the perfect development<br />

<strong>of</strong> the body. Cook remarks that the<br />

superiority in personal appearance "which is

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