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The Descent of Man

The Descent of Man

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doubt wealth when very great tends to convert<br />

men into useless drones, but their number is<br />

never large; and some degree <strong>of</strong> elimination<br />

here occurs, for we daily see rich men, who<br />

happen to be fools or pr<strong>of</strong>ligate, squandering<br />

away their wealth.<br />

Primogeniture with entailed estates is a more<br />

direct evil, though it may formerly have been a<br />

great advantage by the creation <strong>of</strong> a dominant<br />

class, and any government is better than none.<br />

Most eldest sons, though they may be weak in<br />

body or mind, marry, whilst the younger sons,<br />

however superior in these respects, do not so<br />

generally marry. Nor can worthless eldest sons<br />

with entailed estates squander their wealth. But<br />

here, as elsewhere, the relations <strong>of</strong> civilised life<br />

are so complex that some compensatory checks<br />

intervene. <strong>The</strong> men who are rich through primogeniture<br />

are able to select generation after<br />

generation the more beautiful and charming<br />

women; and these must generally be healthy in

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