New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-05-09


abatement of a few of their more important |
details In describing the differences between |
the sexes Mr. Darwin ascribes to man q talier
stature and greater weight and muscular sucne'h
than woman. His shoulders are squarer, anu MS
brow more prominent. His voice has dlierent ana
more powerful tone. In certain tribes the women
are said TO differ slightly in tint from the men, anu
with Europeans, they usually the more prigh'y
colored of the two Man is more courageous, com |
bative and energetic than woman, ana mas more
inventive genius His brain is absolutely larger, but
whether relatively TO the larger comparative size OF
his body has not been decided. The difference In
the mental powers Of the two sexes is probably IN
great measure due to sexual selection. In mental
disposition woman differs from man chiefly IN her
greater tenderness and less selfishness. Owing TO
her maternal instincts she displays these qualitesln
an eminent degree toward her infants, ana hence eA-
tends them toward her fellow creatures Man is the
rival Of other men, and delights in competition
This leads TO ambition which easily passes into self
ishness With woman, the powers of intuition, OF
rapid perception, and perhaps, of imitation are more
strongly marked than in man. With regard 10 inc
intellectual faculties of the two sexes man chiefly
differs from woman by attaining to higher emil
nence in whatever he undertakes whether requiring
profound thought, reason, or IMAGINATION OF merely
the use of the senses and hands If two lists were
women in poetry, painting, sculpture, music-com-
prising composition and performance - history,
science and philosophy the two lists would not bear
comparison.
Mr.. Darwin supposes that the haf-human male
progenitors of man have struggled together during
many generations for the possession OF the females
But mere bodily strength would do little for vic
tory unless accompanied with courage, perseverance,
and determined energy. With social animals inc
young males have to go through many contest
before they win female, and the older males have
to retain their females by renewed battles. They
have also to defend their females and their young
from all attacks, and to hunt for their joint subsSt-
ence But 10 attack enemies, to capture Wild AMI
mails. and to fabrcate weapons, requires the ald OF
the higher faculties namely, observation reason III
yentiOn, or Imagination. These various faculties
will thus have been continually put to the test
during manhood, and strengthened by use dur
ing the same period of life. Hence in ac-
cordance with the principle Of sexual selection,
they would naturally be transmitted chiefly to the
male offspring at the corresponding period Of man
! hood. Now when two persons are put In competi-
ton who possess every mental faculty in the same
degree of perfection, except that the one has higher
energy, perseverance, and courage than the other,
| this one win become more eminent, and whatever
may he the object of pursuit, will gain the victory
He may indeed, be said to possess genus, il genius
consists III undaunted perseverance, added to the
higher powers of imagination and reason
| But each of these faculties viii have been de-
velOped in partly through natural selection or
success in the general struggle for life, and partly
through sexual selection, or the contest of rival
males In both cases, the struggle will have been
during maturity and hence, according 10 the law of
Inheritance the characters thus gained will have
been transmitted fully 10 the male than to the
female offspring In this way, man has ultimately
become superior 10 woman. ut Is, indeed, fortu-
nate" Mr.. Darwin remarks, that the law of equal
transmission of character TO both sexes has com
monty prevailed throughout the whole class of
mammals; otherwise il is probable that man would
have become az superior in mental endowment to
woman rs the peacock is in ornamental plumagc TO
the peahen."
In the imperfect summary which we have thus
presented of of the most striking illustrations
OF Mr. Darwin's theory of sexual selection, we have
aimed at exposition rather than criticism, purposey
abstaining from any comment the force of his
reasonngs or the validity of his deductions. We
have of course given but faint outline of the great
argument, without reproducing the singular afiu-
ence of facts with which he illustrates the sub
ject, or the logical acumen with which he sus-
tains his conclusions, although, to large ex-
tent we have made use of his language
in the statement Of his views. In the present state
of the discussion, many important points remain in
obscurty and doubt The very magnitude of the
field is unfayorabe to clearness of vision and thus
far the results of research afford little more than
series of magnificent conjectures, without the pre-
csion the certainty of exact science The intrca
ces of the question still fail of complete elucda-
ton, and present significant themes for further
inquiry. Whatever admiration may be felt for the
mental ability the love Of truth, the vast research,
the modest candOr and the naive and beautiful SIM
plicity of expression which ale everywhere dis
PLAYED in Mr. Darwin's writings, his views involve
too wide a departure from the prevailing habits of
thought to encourage their general acceptance,
which, without the of clearer light, would
doubtless be premature.
Ncw Publications.