The Descent of Man

that the females were modified in other respects
for the same purpose and by the same
means; so that women have acquired sweeter
voices and become more beautiful than men.
It deserves attention that with mankind the
conditions were in many respects much more
favourable for sexual selection, during a very
early period, when man had only just attained
to the rank of manhood, than during later times.
For he would then, as we may safely conclude,
have been guided more by his instinctive
passions, and less by foresight or reason. He
would have jealously guarded his wife or wives.
He would not have practised infanticide;
nor valued his wives merely as useful slaves;
nor have been betrothed to them during infancy.
Hence we may infer that the races of men
were differentiated, as far as sexual selection is
concerned, in chief part at a very remote epoch;
and this conclusion throws light on the remarkable
fact that at the most ancient period, of