What is eugenics? / by Leonard Darwin.

  • Darwin, Leonard, 1850-1943.
Date:
1928
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

Credit: What is eugenics? / by Leonard Darwin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    79/104 (page 67)
    THE DETERIORATION OF OUR BREED 67 absence of great men. The ancient Greeks at their prime turned out a larger proportion of men of genius than any- other nation has done in the last two thousand years. Both Egypt and Rome had high civilizations which dis¬ appeared. In these and other countries, luxury was followed by internal disorders and attacks by external enemies ; and then followed periods well described as dark ages. One cause of deterioration which is at work now was certainly at work in those ancient days, and that is a low birth-rate amongst the superior breeds and a high birth¬ rate amongst the inferior. Other causes no doubt helped to ruin ancient Rome ; but if we sit still her fate will be ours also. If we wish to maintain the honour and reputation of our country in the distant future, the birth-rate must be in¬ creased where it is now often low, and lowered where it is now often high. To do this wisely should be the main aim of eugenics.