THE RA CE-PRESERVA TION DOGMA 495
beyond the limits within which it must be restricted. For this reason I should prefer to call it the offspring-preserving or offspring-preservation instinct.
But notice that this instinct, although very powerful, is not always stronger than, nor equal to, the instinct of self-preserva- tion ; and if the species is preserved, it is not because the self- preserving instinct is subordinated to the offspring-preserving instinct, where the two conflict, but because, as a general rule, they do 7iot materially conflict. In case of actual and serious antagonism, the offspring-preservation instinct is almost invari- ably overruled by the instinct of self-preservation. It is well known that among savages, where the means of subsistence are scarce, and where nomadic habits in a rough and sterile country make children a burden to the mother, infanticide has been of very frequent occurrence ; and of some tribes it is affirmed that not one of their women could be found who had not destroyed at least one of her children, while others had killed four or five, and even as many as ten." Among the ancient Arabs, who had to contend with frequent and devastating famines, the practice of female infanticide was prevalent ; it was considered more worthy of praise than of blame, and had to be repeatedly con- demned by Mohammed." In the ancient European world infanticide and the exposure of children were exceedingly com- mon. By the primitive Roman law infanticide was condemned only in the case of male children and of the eldest female ; and although the law of the empire declared the practice to be a criminal offense, yet it was not considered identical with homi- cide, being punished simply by exile ; while the exposure and sale of children, far from being condemned as crimes, were carefully regulated by the Christian emperors. ^ In countries, as China, that are afflicted with over-population children are con- stantly destroyed or exposed ; and even in the most highly civilized societies the exposure of infants is not rare. In all
■ Darwin, Descent of Man, chap. xx.
'Ch. Letourneacj, Evolution of Marriage and of /he Family (iicnhnefs, '^ons, 1891), chap. V, sec. 3, pp. 82, 83.
3 See Lecky, European Morals (D. Appleton, 1889), Vol. II, chap, iv, pp. 26 ff
