There can be little doubt that the greater size and
strength of man, in comparison with woman, together
with his broader shoulders, more developed muscles,
rugged outline of body, his greater courage and pug-
nacity are all due in chief part to inheritance from
some early male progenitor, who, like the existing
anthropoid apes, was thus characterised. These cha-
racters will, however have been preserved or even
augmented, during the long ages whilst man was still
in a barbarous condition, by the strongest and boldest
men having succeeded best in the general struggle for
Life, as well as in securing wives, and thus having left a
large number of offspring. It is not probable that the
greater strength of man was primarily acquired through
the inherited effects of his having worked harder than
woman for his own subsistence and that of his family;
for the women in all barbarous nations are compelled
to work at least as hard as the men. With civilised
people the arbitrament of battle for the possession of
the women has long ceased; on the other hand, the men,
as a general rule, have to work harder than the women
for their mutual subsistence; and thus their greater
strength will have been kept up.