THE SURVIVAL OF THE UNFIT.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.] SIR,—The sentimentalism of the day condemns as heartless and cruel the wide-reaching principle of "the survival of the fittest," without, apparently, perceiving that this survival is inseparably interwoven with every step of human progress of all kinds. This condemnation rests partly on the erroneous idea that the survival referred to is only that of man, whereas the term " fittest " here is of very wide interpretation indeed. The case of Ireland is considered exceptional in this matter, too : there, with the consent of both parties in the State, improvement is to be sought in the survival of the unfit. The main evil of Ireland has long been the dependence of a large population on one single resource, agriculture, and a consequent excessive subdivision of holdings,—a very unfit system of agriculture, depriving it alike of science and capital. The remedy is to be the encouragement of this undue clinging to the land, the perpetuation of small holdings without capital or science,—the survival, that is, of the unfit. And will the unfit survive ? No, it will not ; unless, indeed, freedom per- manently gives place to a socialistic system, with the necessary constant tinkering. Given freedom, and the unfit of all kinds must succumb.
Allow me to add one remark as to the Unionist Government taking part in this fostering of the unfit. The Gladstonian .system of dual ownership was naturally found to be intoler- able, and it being impossible to go back to the old single- handed ownership, it became necessary to seek a new one.— I am, Sir, &c.,
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