It is of interest in
illustration of the problem of sexual selection in man to consider briefly
what results are at present obtainable regarding the influence of these
two characters.
It has long been a widespread belief that short people are sexually
attracted to tall people, and tall people to short; that in the matter of
stature men and women are affected by what Bain called the "charm of
disparity." It has not always prevailed. Many centuries ago Leonardo da
Vinci, whose insight at so many points anticipated our most modern
discoveries, affirmed clearly and repeatedly the charm of parity. After
remarking that painters tend to delineate the figures that resemble
themselves he adds that men also fall in love with and marry those who
resemble themselves; "_chi s'innamora voluntieri s'innamorano de cose a
loro simiglianti_," he elsewhere puts it.[171] But from that day to this,
it would seem Leonardo's statements have remained unknown or unnoticed.
Bernardin de Saint-Pierre said that "love is the result of contrasts," and
Schopenhauer affirmed the same point very decisively; various scientific
and unscientific writers have 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.
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