The Descent of Man

of Europe have emigrated during the last ten or
twelve generations to that great country, and
have there succeeded best. (29. Mr. Galton,
'Macmillan's Magazine,' August 1865, p. 325.
See also, 'Nature,' 'On Darwinism and National
Life,' Dec. 1869, p. 184.) Looking to the distant
future, I do not think that the Rev. Mr. Zincke
takes an exaggerated view when he says (30.
'Last Winter in the United States,' 1868, p. 29.):
"All other series of events—as that which resulted
in the culture of mind in Greece, and that
which resulted in the empire of Rome—only
appear to have purpose and value when viewed
in connection with, or rather as subsidiary
to…the great stream of Anglo- Saxon emigration
to the west." Obscure as is the problem of
the advance of civilisation, we can at least see
that a nation which produced during a lengthened
period the greatest number of highly
intellectual, energetic, brave, patriotic, and benevolent
men, would generally prevail over
less favoured nations.