The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-09-01

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the study Of Psychologists and physicians
He c1fee the explanation Of Iamblichus
that they valk on hp unharmsd bsoauss
the God within them dos not Let nrs harm
them.' This implies that an exalted psy-
ohioal condition Of performers secures
their immunity. In the Gases. however
where Europeans born . part. and sven In
DIR. Hocken's examination Of the natives
there was ne sign Of other than the normal
mental condition.
Prsbienn Of Rveiuusr.
SECOND NOTICE.
In Q previous revtew Of Problems Of
E~roiShon. by =. W. HRADLEY Ct. Y. Crowel
A Coz, We confined ourselves 20 that part
Of the work which deals with tho problems
OF evolution In general. and In which the
Darwinian theory OF natural selection.
together with the IAmArckiAn principle and
Weismann's rejection Of that principle.
IL discussed at length. Rather more
than q third Of the book. however. h al
lotted TO the problems OF human evolution.
including the physical. moral and intel
lectual development OF man. the causes
and remedies OF physical degeneration
and the conditions Of progress in oivtliza-
ton. TO the exposition Of which last-namod
topic 10 added q chapter on The Great
Unprogressivs People by which phrase,
Of course. the Chinese are designated. In
the present notice we shall look, first. at
what Mr. Headley has to say about mans
physical degeneration In civilized coun-
tr~ and the means Of checking Il; after
i<hich va hall glance az his attempt 10
solve the riddle presented by the Chinese
].
II IL true that CIVILIZED man In detsror-
stins from q physical point OF View The
optimists bring forward q good deal Of
evidence In the negative There II the
Increased stature Of uppcr-class women At
the present day. very striking phenoIn--
non. not a matter Of mere fractions Of inches
discovered by careful measurements. but
visible 10 any one capable OF observing
There. too. In the constant advance In the
athletic records. There. again. 10 thu fact
that modern explorers seem TO bear hard
ships a. well a. any Of thsir predecessors.
while European soldiers 60 through cam
paigns eide by side with men Of less civil
lied races The athletic tendency Of tho
present day must. Il II alleged. lead TO an
improvement In physique. Longevity Is
increasing, and as TO diseases. many that
are fatal 10 asvsges are easily thrown on
10y civilized mar On the other side there
IL much to he said Mr.. Headley Ia Of the
opinion that the question OF stature pre-
SCENTS a good deal Of complication.
and he holds that unjustifiable conclusions
have bs-n built upon the facts observed.
He sets forth In detail the reasons for his
own views. which are summed up AZ
follows.
First. stature IL 10 a large extent q racs
characteristic. that lasts with little alter
alton for very long periods; secondly. eaoh
person has . potential stature. which.
through unfavorable circumstances. may
not h. sctuaized: thirdly. the increase
Of Insight Observable in thu present day.
especially In tho daughters Of upper-class
mothers. IL due 10 a change Of environment.
the potential stature remaining a. Il was:
lastly. the change Of environment which
produccs great stature involves In many
cases . le.senins Of the stres. OF natural
s~election and the gain in height and even
In bulk Ia often accompanied with a re-
duced power OF bearing hardships. sinos.
then increase Of stature 4. not necessarily
any evidence Of greater potential strength.
or even actual strength. W. cannot bass
any argumcnts upon H."
A To athletic records Mr. Headley con-
tends that these are due partly TO skill.
and not entircly to physique. We must
bear In mind. he cautions us, that there
is now a far larger number Of young men
devoting themselves to athletics than
thsrc used to he. Formerly. many who
had tho greatest capacity for attaining
athletic preeminenoe remained i~nslorious
and unsunG. their powers unknown. even
TO themselves. II a general advance in
physique is expected a. the result Of ath-
leticism. Il must hs remembered that q
very large proportion Of the population
IL even now untouched by the athletic
movement. They bet and cheer. but do
not enter the arena themselves. knowing
that they could not riss TO distinction.
There still remains the QUESTION II. in
Wow 81 Weismann's rcfutation Of the
IAmsrckian principle. IL can still be deemed
a question whether any race improve
ment can result from the improvement
81 IN Individual due 20 better conditions
81 life. With regard Co modern European
soldiers, IL IL pointet out that the com
mi-sarat IL much better managed than
n used TO BE-. and. great a. are tho hard-
ships they still have 10 undergo. vet cam
~paigning. compared with what II was even
A. the beginning 81 the n~inetesnth c.n-
fury. IL now luxurious The same thing
may be said about modern explorers.
They have learned from the e1pericnc- ~
others how 10 live In the regions In which
they travel. and they take many Of the
appliances Of civilization with them. They
are le~e cut on than they werc formerly.
We are further reminded by Mr.. Hesdlsy
that explorer. and. 90 a less eHtcnt. sol-
dierp. are picked men.
Those Who take a n optimistio Wow ~
the physical condition OF civilized men
eay little about such things a. teeth. hear
ing and eyesisht. IL Ia acknowledged.
indeed. by all but the most irrational OPP
timis,s that In theee respects civilized
man has d~egenersted. With regard to
longevity our author insists that tho figures
require careful analysis The increased
average length 81 life he due mainly 20 tho
survival of many infants who can hardly
become vigorous men and women. or to
the sheltering 81 persons. who have lo~t
all visor. from the rsks and hArdshiI~
% active life Unaue~tionsbly. civilized
man can weather many diseases that are
fatal To tho savage Such weathering