Review of Reviews,  20 (1899), 451–62.

Character Sketch. Cecil Rhodes of Africa

Anon

Genre:

Regular Feature, Biography

Subjects:

Darwinism, Evolution, Providence, Race, Imperialism, Progress


    Contends that the ideal of imperialistic rule in Africa which Cecil J Rhodes works tirelessly to achieve is shaped by the fact that he is 'a Darwinian', and 'believes in the gospel of evolution, of the survival of the fittest, of progress by natural selection' (460). For him, the 'perfecting of the fittest species among the animals, or of races among men, and then the conferring upon the perfected species or race the title deeds of the future' is 'the way in which God is governing His world' (460–61), and the most pressing question of the present age is 'which race [...] seems most likely to be the Divine instrument in carrying out the Divine idea over the whole of this planet'? The answer, of course, is that in 'the struggle for existence the White race [has] unquestionably come out on top', but, more specifically, the 'English race—the English-speaking man, whether British, American, Australian, or South African' has reached 'the highwater mark of the race up till now', and future 'Progress will consist in bringing up mankind to their level'. (461)



© Science in the Nineteenth-Century Periodical Project, Universities of Leeds and Sheffield, 2005 - 2020

Printed from Science in the Nineteenth-Century Periodical: An Electronic Index, v. 4.0, The Digital Humanities Institute <http://www.sciper.org> [accessed ]