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In successive generations a great development both of bodily and

mental qualities might be possible. The analogy of animals tends

to show that mankind can within certain limits receive a change

of nature. And as in animals we should commonly choose the best

for breeding, and destroy the others, so there must be a

selection made of the human beings whose lives are worthy to be

preserved.

We start back horrified from this Platonic ideal, in the belief,

first, that the higher feelings of humanity are far too strong to

be crushed out; secondly, that if the plan could be carried into

execution we should be poorly recompensed by improvements in the

breed for the loss of the best things in life. The greatest

regard for the weakest and meanest of human beings-the infant,

the criminal, the insane, the idiot, truly seems to us one of the

noblest results of Christianity. We have learned, though as yet

imperfectly, that the individual man has an endless value in the

sight of God, and that we honour Him when we honour the darkened

and disfigured image of Him (Laws).