ave repeated this statement.[172]

So far as stature is concerned, there appears to be very little reason to
suppose that this "charm of disparity" plays any notable part in
constituting the sexual ideals of either men or women. Indeed, it may
probably be affirmed that both men and women seek tallness in the person
to whom they are sexually attracted. Darwin quotes the opinion of Mayhew
that among dogs the females are strongly attracted to males of large
size.[173] I believe this is true, and it is probably merely a particular
instance of a general psychological tendency.

It is noteworthy as an indication of the direction of the sexual
ideal in this matter that the heroines of male novelists are
rarely short and the heroes of female novelists almost invariably
tall. A reviewer of novels addressing to lady novelists in the
_Speaker_ (July 26, 1890) "A Plea for Shorter Heroes," publishes
statistics on this point. "Heroes," he states, "are longer this
year than ever. Of the 192 of whom I have had my word to say
since October of last year, 27 were merely tall, and 11 were only
slightly above the middle height. No less than 85 stood exactly
six feet in their stocking soles, and the remainder were
considerably over the two yards. I take the average to be six
feet three."

As a slight test alike of the supposed "charm of disparity" as
well as of the general degree in which tall and short persons are
sought as mates by those of the opposite sex I have examined a
series of entries in the _Round-About_, a publication issued by a
club, of which the president is Mr. W.T. Stead, having for its
object the purpose of promoting correspondence, friendship, and
marriage between its members. There are two classes, of entries,
one inserted with a view to "intellectual friendship," the other
with a view to marriage. I have not thought it necessary to
recognize this distinction here; if a man describes his own
physical characteristics and those of the lady he would like as a
friend, I assume that, from the point of view of the present
inquiry, he is much on the same footing as the man who seeks a
wife. In the series of entries which I have examined 35 men and
women state approximately the height of the man or woman they
seek to know; 30 state in addition their own height. The results
are expressed in the table on the follow