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RACE IMPROVEMENT   321

laboratory, and 'I am glad to say he has consented to take it, for the present at least, under his very able superintendence ; as I am too old and infirm now to be able to look properly after it. Valuable memoirs are being published by the Laboratory from time to time, and the young institution promises to be a permanent success.

The authorities of the newly established sociological Society were disposed to take up the subject of Race Improvement, so I gave lectures at two of their meetings in 1904 and 1905, which are published in Vols I. and II. of the Sociological Papers [169]. The subjects were on, 11 Eugenics, its Scope and Aims," " Restrictions in Marriage," " Studies in

National Eugenics," and " Eugenics as a Factor in Religion." Eugenics is officially defined in the Minutes of the University of London as "the study of agencies under social control that may improve or impair the racial qualities of future generations, either physically or mentally."

Skilful and cautious statistical treatment is needed in-most of the many inquiries upon whose results the methods of Eugenics will rest. A full account of the inquiries is necessarily technical and dry, but the results are not, and a Eugenics Education Society" has been recently established to popularise those results. At the request of its Committee I have lately joined it as Hon. President, and hope to aid its work so far as the small powers that an advanced age still leaves intact may permit.


A true philanthropist concerns himself not only with society as a whole, but also with as many of the

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