Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-03-24
MISCE LII A N Y.
HEREDITARY FEATURES IN FAMILIES

A peculiar thickness of the under lip has
been hereditary in the imperial House oi
Hapsburg, ever since the marriage, some
centuries ago, with the Polish family Jagel-
| Ion, whence it came. In the English roy
al family fullness ofthe lower and lateral
parts of the face is conspicuous in the por-
traits of the whole series of sovereigns from
George |. to Victoria, and has been equally
marked in other members of the family
The females of the house of Gordon have
long been remarkable for peculiarly ele-
CANT conformation ofthe neck. The Clack-
mannanshire Bruces, who are descended
from common stock with the famous Rob-
ert Bruce of Scotland, are SAID to have that
strongly marked form of the cheek bones &
Jaws which appear on the coins of that he
roic monarch, as it did in his actual face
when his bones were disinterred at Dun
fermline, about thirty years ago. The prev
alent tallness of the inhabitants of Potsdam,
many of whom are descended from the gi-
gantic guards of Frederick |. the Spanish
features observable in the people of the
county of Galway, in which some centuries
ago, several Spanish settlements were made;
and the hereditary beauty of the women of
Prague, are well known facts which have
frequently attracted the attention of chro-
nologists. The burgesses of Rome (the most
invauable portion of every population) ex-
hibit at the present day precisely the same
type of face and form as their ancestors,
whose bus,s may &c seen carved in relief
on The ancient sarcophagi and the Jewish
phys;osncmies portrayed upon Inc sepul-
chral monuments OF Egypt are identical with
those which may be observed among mod
ern Jews in the streets of any of our great
cities.
A curious example ofthe manner in which
a family peculiarly may originate and be-
Con- iLdelbie, occurred III the family of
Sec o! Harden, now represented by Lord
Polwarth. During the reign OF James VI,
William (ai;erwards Sir Wiliam) Scott, ell
dest son Of Scott of Harden, made an incur
sion upon the lands OF Sir Gideon Murray,
Of Ehbank, afterwards deputy treasurer of
Scotland, and great favorite of the king.
But the laird OF Elbanh was upon his guard,
and, having collected his retainers, attack
ed the marauders wnen they were encum-
bered with their piunder, defeated them,
and made young Harden prisoner. Sir Gid
con conducted bis captive to Elibank Tow
er-now heap Of ruins on the banks of the
Tweed-where his lady received him with
congratulations on his victory, and inquired
what he intended to DO with his rrisoner.-
al intend,"- said the victorious laird, 'to
consign him instantly to the gallows, as
man taken redhanded in the act of robbery
and yiolence." "Hout ma, Sir Gideon"
answered his moro considerate lady, ''that
is not like your wisdom. Would you hang
the winsome young laird of Harden when
you have three daughters to marry ?'-
Fright" answered the baron, who joyfully
caught at the idea che shall either marry
our daughter, mickle-monthed Qarge-mouth-
ed) Meg, or strap for it." When this al
tentative was proposed to the handsome
prisoner, he for some time stout!y pre-
ferred the gibbet to "Meikle-mouthed Mag
and persevered in this ungallant resolution
until he found one end of a rope made fast
to his neck and the other knitted to stur-
DIV oak -bough Of Ehbank's "doom-tree,' y
which extended It's broad arms close to the
gate of his fortress; when, seeing no other
chance of escape, he consented to save his
life at the expense Of marrying the lady
The contract ofmarriage, executed Instant
ly on the parchment of dun, is still in
the charter-chest of his noble representa-
tive.
The marriage contracted under such sin
gular circumstances proved eminently hap
py, and it appears TO have completely ter
minated the feud between the Murrays and
SCOTS. But the most curious and memor-
able circumstance connected with it is, that
all Meg's descendants have inherited some