Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-08
ROMANCE AND FACT.
The Future Of Love-Making in the
Light of Science.

Light of Science.
From Current Literature.
or all the social revolutions to which
mankind will yet be Indebted to the prog
ress of science, not one. asserts that emf
nent biological psychologist. Mr.. Havelock
Ellis. can ever equal in Importance the
modification Of the sentiment OF romantic
love already effected in part-and soon to
be completed-by eugenics. The science OF
eugenics. as defined by Its founder. Dr.
Francis Gallon. is simply the study OF the
agencies under social control that may inn
prove or impair the racial quality, of future
generations either physically or mentally.
Through the munificence of DR.. Cation and
the cooperation of the University Of Lon
don, the begfnnin6 of the attainment OF the
eugenic ideal has at length been rendered
possible. The senate of the university mas
this year appointed Edgar Schuster of New
College, Oxford, to the Francis Gallon Re-
search scholarship In natural eugenics. 1t
will be Prof Schuster's duty to carry OUT
investigations into the history of classes
and of families and to deliver lectures and
publish memoirs on the subject. 1T is a
beginning only writes Mr.. Havelock Ellis
In the Nineteenth Century. but the end no
man can foresee. -
It is not to the point to declare, adds our
authority. that love laughs at science and
that the winds OF romantic passion blow
where they list. That, as eugenic inyesu-
cations of the few years last past demon
strate. is by no means true. 1t Is not true,
says Mr. Ellis, that any one loves any one
and that mutual attraction is entirely
matter OF chance The Investigations which
have been lately carried out show that
there are certain definite tendencies in this
matter. Certain kinds of people tend to be
attracted to certain kinds. Like are
attracted to like rather than unlike to I'M
like. Again. while some kinds Of people
tend to be married with special frequency,
other kinds tend to be left unmarried. Nor
are the causes on the surface. There are
numerous subtle Influences, paradoxicai
enough on the surface which eugen- cs will
not merely investigate. but control. Sexual
selection, even when left to random influ-
ences Is still not left to chance. 1t follows
definite and ascertainable laws In that
way the free play of love, however free 1t
may appear is really limited In number
OF directions.
These limitations to the rowing impulses
of love, while very real. to some extent
vary at different periods in accordance with
the ideals which happen to be fashionable.
In more remote ages they have been still
more profoundly modified by religious and
social ideas. Polygamq and polyandry the
custom of marrying only inside ones own
caste or only outside tall these and va
rious contradictory plans have been easily
But they have offered no more conscious
obstacle to the free play of love than
among ourselves is offered by the pro-
hibition of marriage between near relations.
To quote from Mr.. Ellis
THE eugenic ideal which is now develop
Ing Is NOT an artificial product, but the rea-
soned manifestation of natural instinct,
which has often been far more severely
strained by the arbitrary prohibitions OF
the past than 1t is ever likely to be by any
eugenic ideals of the future. The new
Ideal Will be absorbed into the conscience
OF the community. like kind of new reli-
gion, and will instinctively and uncon-
sclously influence the impulses of men and
women. 1t will do all this the more surely
since. unlike the taboos of savage societies.
the eugenic ideal will lead men and wo-
men to reject as partners only the men
and women who are naturally unfit-the
diseased, the abnormal. the weaklings-and
conscience will thus be on the side Of I'M
pulse.
1T may. indeed. b pointed out that those
VINO advocate a higher and more scientific
conscience in matters of mating are by no
means plotting against love which Is for
the most part on their side, but rather
against the influences that do violence to
love-on the one hand the reckless and
thoughtless yielding to mere momentary
desire; and, on the other hand the still
more fatal influence of wealth and position
and worldly convenience, which give fac
titious value to persons who would never
appear attractive partners In life We're love
and eugenic ideals left to go hand in hand.
1t is this sort of unions, and not those
which are inspired by the wholesome in
stincts OF wholesome lovers, which leads to
the deterioration Of the race The eugenic
Ideal Will have to struggle with the crimi-
nal, and still more resolutely with the rich:
II VIII nave rev serious quarrels with nor
NAL and well-constituted lovers
1T will now perhaps be clear how It Is
that the eugenic conception of the improve
ment Of the race embodies a new IDEAL
We are familiar with legislative projects
for the sterilization of the unfit. But such
mr. Ind
cannot go to the root Of the matter: for
In the first place, what we need is a great
body OF facts, and a careful attention to
the record and registration and statistical
tabulation of personal and family histories:
IN the second place. we need that sound
Ideals and high sense of responsibility
should permeate the whole community. first
Its finer and more distinguished members,
ana then, by the usual contagion that rules
In such matters the whole body of its
members In time, no doubt this would
lead to concerted social action We may
reasonably expect that time will come
when II, for instance. as in case known
TO me, an epileptfc woman conceals her con-
dition from the man she Is marrying II
would generally be felt that an offense has
been committed serious enough to inyaIi-
date the marriage. We must not suppose
that lovers would be either willing or com
petent to investigate each others family
and medical histories; but 1t would be at
least as easy and as simple to choose a
partner from those persons who had Sue
cessfully passed the eugenic test"
Nor will 1t be matter Of any treat diff
Guilty for eugenic science to devise so ef-
fective test that without 1t no member OF
our race within the pale of civilization can
be eligible as an object Of manifestations
of romantic love. Eugenis certificates. ac-
cording to the suggestion of DIR. Cation
himself. would in time. be Issued by a suit
ably constituted authority to those candf-
dates who chose to apply for them and
were able to pass the necessary tests. Such
certificates would imply an inquiry and ex-
animation into the hereditary influences
dominating or conditioning the constitution,
health, intelligence and character of the
individual. The possession OF such GER
tifcate would involve a superiority to the
average in all these respects. No one
would be compelled to offer himself for
such examination. just as no one is COM
PEELED to seek a university degree Its pos
session would often be decided advantage.
There is nothing to prevent the establish
ment of board Of examiners of this kind
at once. Mr.. Havelock Ellis Is sure that.
once established, many candidates would
hasten to present themselves before the
board. There are obviously, he thinks,
many positions In life wherein certificate
Of this kind of superiority would be help
full But its chief distinction would be that
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