ore readily than physical evolution.

It might be said, of course, that mal-adaptation at any given
moment is more than counterbalanced by greater evolutional
potentialities, or by greater inducement to evolve; and that the
above chain of reasoning simply goes to prove that the poor man is
more of an animal--less evolved. On the other hand, from an
evolutionary standpoint, the animal faculties are the most basic of
all. A sound stomach is more necessary than a highly developed
brain, and good reproductive faculties are essential; because the
first demand of evolution is plenty of material. It does not follow
that our typical poor man is more of an animal, is less evolved, or
has a smaller potentiality to evolve, because he has preserved
better the animal faculties which lie at the basis of evolution.

Furthermore:

(4) There is a reasonable probability that an interior balance,
between body, brain, and spirit, is more needful for realising the
potentialities of evolution than rapidity of development in any
single respect. _Mens sana in corpore sano--animaque integra_
is an ideal as sound as it is unachieved. More haste less speed, is
probably true of human evolution. A healthy baby is more hopeful
than a mad adult.

(5) The typical poor man does, now, exhibit a better balance
between these three components of him. Less evolved in some ways,
he is on the whole, and for that reason, more forward. His
evolution is proceeding with greater solidity. It is more stable,
and more likely to realise its potentialities.

* * * * *

That is a speculation among probabilities and possibilities; an attempt
to go in a bee-line across fields that are mainly hidden ditches; a
first spying out of a country that wants mapping; a course over a sea
that can never perhaps be buoyed, where bearings must be taken afresh
from the sun for each voyage that is made. In any case, my belief grows
stronger that the poor have kept essentially what a schoolboy calls the
better end of the stick; not because their circumstances are
better--materially their lives are often terrible enough--but because
they know better how to make the most of what material circumstances
they have. If they could improve their material circumstances and
continue making the most of them.... That is the problem.

Good Luck to us all!