bestow approval or condemnation, have given of his strength to the cause of truth and right.

A part of the proposed remedy-the method of dealing with the vicious-may, I believe, be made an immediate practical issue; another part-that relating to the" defective "-must remain, no doubt, an issue for the distant future. Yet we live in an age characterized by rapid transformations of opinion and custom, and the times appear ripe for the weighing of the plan in its entirety.

The real value of the views here presented, no single mind can determine: it is my aim and end simply to awaken a wide, intelligent, and honest discussion of a question which, to me, appears, both for nation and race, of the greatest importance. It is my hope that the plan may have dispassionate and conscientious consideration, and that such good as it contains may find practical adaptation to the deep needs of humanity.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I. INTRODUCTION

Our adaptation to environment less perfect than that of

the lower animals, I-Is civilized society an organism now

in the stage of senility, and approaching dissolution? 4—

The present tendency toward sentimentalism, 5—The in-

adequacy of present methods for the arrest of weakness

and crime, 12-Our inability to deal with incorrigibles, 23

-The purpose of the book, $29.

II. THE DARK SIDE OF HUMAN EXISTENCE

Poverty, 30-Disease, 33—Crime, 34-Degeneracy, 42—

Imperative ideas, 43-Anxious dispositions, 47-Morbid

fears, 48-Morbid shyness, 51-Morbid blushing, 52-

Moral idiocy and imbecility, 55-Degenerate families, 65-

Epidemic delusions, 71-Periodic need of the purifying

influence of war, 73—This presentation of evils not a

hopeless wail, but an incentive to vigorous reaction, 74.

III. THE CAUSE OF HUMAN WRETCHEDNESS

The inborn tendency toward evil, 75-Heredity and en-

vironment, 76—General nature of heredity, 77-Its influ-

ence in poverty, 83-In disease and degeneracy, 84—In

criminality, 97-Defective conduct and brain structure, 100

-Further evidence, 102-A land of born criminals, 112-

Heredity and illegitimacy, 114-Criminality among the

lower animals, 117-The wide diffusion of influence

through descent, 119-Our motley inheritance the funda-

mental cause of our wretchedness, 120.

PAGE

I

30

75

The idiot, 121-The imbecile, 129-The epileptic, 139-

The habitual drunkard, 147-The criminal, 158-The

philanthropist's disappointment, 182.

V.-A REMEDY

The present system inefficient, 184-Nature's method, 185

-A change in human nature necessary and possible, 186—

The gradual elimination of weak and vicious strains, 188-

The essentials of the plan, 189-Moral responsibility, 195

-The case of the weak, 199-A consideration of death,

203-Our warrant for the taking of life, 210.

VI. A CONSIDERATION OF OBJECTIONS

The sanctity of life, 214-The natural right to live, 239—

The brutalizing of the general conscience, 243—The value

of life appearing lessened, murder might be encouraged,

244-The plan would affect only a portion of the cases

suitable, 246—The masses might offer insuperable opposi-

tion, 247-Difficulty in the selection of cases, 248-Would

do away with a salutary discipline in virtue, 249—The plan

has had a partial trial, 250-Might give too much power

to State officials, 252.

VII. CONCLUSION

APPENDICES

INDEX

184

214

254

. 261

. 263

HEREDITY AND HUMAN PROGRESS