The Descent of Man

In every country in which a large standing army
is kept up, the finest young men are taken
by the conscription or are enlisted. They are
thus exposed to early death during war, are
often tempted into vice, and are prevented
from marrying during the prime of life. On the
other hand the shorter and feebler men, with
poor constitutions, are left at home, and consequently
have a much better chance of marrying
and propagating their kind. (11. Prof. H. Fick
('Einfluss der Naturwissenschaft auf das Recht,'
June 1872) has some good remarks on this
head, and on other such points.)
Man accumulates property and bequeaths it to
his children, so that the children of the rich
have an advantage over the poor in the race for
success, independently of bodily or mental superiority.
On the other hand, the children of
parents who are short-lived, and are therefore
on an average deficient in health and vigour,
come into their property sooner than other