Inquiries into Human Faculty and Its Development by Francis Galton
page 39 of 387 (10%)
page 39 of 387 (10%)
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increased stature of the better housed and fed portion of the nation,
in a recollection of my own as to the difference in height between myself and my fellow-collegians at Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1840-4. My height is 5 feet 9-3/4 inches, and I recollect perfectly that among the crowd of undergraduates I stood somewhat taller than the majority. I generally looked a little downward when I met their eyes. In later years, whenever I have visited Cambridge, I have lingered in the ante-chapel and repeated the comparison, and now I find myself decidedly shorter than the average of the students. I have precisely the same kind of recollection and the same present experience of the height of crowds of well-dressed persons. I used always to get a fair view of what was going on over or between their heads; I rarely can do so now. [Footnote 1: _Trans. Brit. Assoc_., 1881, Table V., p. 242; and remarks by Mr. Roberts, p. 235.] The athletic achievements at school and college are much superior to what they used to be. Part is no doubt due to more skilful methods of execution, but not all. I cannot doubt that the more wholesome and abundant food, the moderation in drink, the better cooking, the warmer wearing apparel, the airier sleeping rooms, the greater cleanliness, the more complete change in holidays, and the healthier lives led by the women in their girlhood, who become mothers afterwards, have a great influence for good on the favoured portion of our race. The proportion of weakly and misshapen individuals is not to be estimated by those whom we meet in the streets; the worst cases are |
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