The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1888-08-30
Heredity.


on 1Iarrson's ancestry, they referring with pride
to his illustrious lineage and ascribing great I'M
| portance to it. They do not 90 so far as to eN-
/ plain in what manner it has personally benefit
| ed Harrison, and until such explanation is
made, most remarks Of such a character will
be unheeded or misunderstood by the majority
of readers. Although belief in hereditary in
tuence is sanctioned by the authority of antiq-
uty, and has been interviewer with the religi-
GUS views of many races. exciting their deepest
veneration, it yet seems, at least in our coun-
try, incapable of retaining its influence among
the people, and as statistics reveal its uneer-
tainty. is probably regarded with but little Of
the seriousness commensurate with its impor-
tance. This principle is subject to so many
seeming exceptions, requires to such an extent
the concurrence of so many secondary influences
| and has SO many forms of expression. that its
apparent non-fulfillment is not to be wondered
at. We expect it to work unaffected by any
accident, and do not consider that its ideal
working would depend upon an impossible,
perfect correspondence between the mental and
physical constitutions of the parents, combined
with certain conditions of age and health rarely
met with. Ideally considered the child would
thus he the exact mean of his parents. but prac-
tically considered the child will in all eases Of
direct heredity resemble either one parent or
the other or differ from both, as circumstances
previous to birth may decide. Somany theories
have been advanced, based on the results Of
scientific investigation and examination of sta
tiStics, as to the probable preponderance Of
one or the other parent, that it is not surprising
that many should become so bewillcred at the
mass of conflicting evidence as to entirely re-
Ject any belief in hereditary Influence, and
ascribe all such eases to accidence or coinci-
dencc. Thus Gron, Burdach. Iiacr, Richer
and, Michelet. and Ribot believed that hereditv
passed from one sex to the other, the father
being represented in the daughter. and the
mother in the son. Da Cana Machalo. that
mental and physical qualities We're transmitted
with the color. Gall and Spurzhem that such
transmission depended on analogous conforma-
tion of the various regions of the crania arch.
Schopenhauer that the character IS inherited
from the father and the intelligence from the
mother, and many eminent authorities with tle
majority of ordinary observers that natural
heritage is from father to son, As is instanced in
our own New England history, by tie many eN-
ample> of ilustriou> statesmen and diyineS inn
parting their high gifts and noble qualities li-
recty to their children.
Although in many details the working of tie
law is thus misunderstood, and so many theories
are held concerning it, there is yet no doubt,
l,,, hat 81
felt upon the race rather than upon the in-
dividual, it has been most important factor
in evolution, insures stability ana progress to
all reforms. and in the constant tendency to
bring all mankind to an equality, rather than
favorng extremes. either of genius or idioey,
is to-day and always has been one of the most
active principles in furthering civilization.
But although the effects are plain anl the
cause shrouded III mystery, it is yet probable
that embryoIo"y Will, in time, reveal the work
ing of the principle governing the transmission
of qualities, and enable the intelligent parents.
by deciding the organization Of their offspring.
to regulate, in a measure, its destiny. This
may seem a bold supposition, but it Is hy no
means impossible of fultillmeut. as it is only
cess of generation and the effects of secondary
influences to solve the problem.
But although it is. at present, difficult to
Judge of the result from even seemingly favor
able conditions, il is at least possible to avoid.
in marriage. the inharmoniouS combination Of
temperaments o: qualities that Will. in the
majority of cases, entail upon future genera
~, ia;
most serious consideration for all young men
and women. for upon them rests the RESPONSE
bility of determining by a consideration of the
more toerably defined laws of hcredty. not
only the condition of the family, which is such
an important factor in all civilized governments.
but of the character of our future citizens.
Thus Il power rests with them which, n-
prudentlv used, may help to swell our divorce
list, fill our asylums and prisons, and thrust
upon the world dcformcd or deprayed OFF,
springs, or rightly used, may counteract all
such possibilities. Useful guides on this import
ant matter are to be found in many excellent
treat>es, worthy of being consulted by ali, and
although by 10 means is it wished to make
marriage science. regardless of the necessary
elements of mutual love, it is at least positive
that much evil can be avoided and Il duty owed
to society and posterty discharged by making
passion and fancy more sub>ervcnt to reason
and judgment.
Thus most mperatvely does nature protest
against consanguineous marriages and in such
cases heavy is the penalty often paid. Two
parents nearly allied, sane, and apparently
healthy, will doubtless have germs of disease
or degeneration in some organ, the probability
arising from their common descent is that such
organs will belong in both TO the same series,
and as vices of formation, when thus trans
mttcd, are multiplied rather than added in the
offspring, the child as result, bears in his
system the tendency to mental and physical de-
cay. which may entail upon the family for gen
eratiOns such diseases as insanity, albini>m.
idiocy, scrofula and epilepsy. all of which in
majority of eases, are traeeable to consanyuino-
olls marriages
All chronic diseases and many vicious ten
denotes. such as gambling, theft, avarire. muir
der and alcoholism are trarsm>siblc. the latter
almost discharging tie unfortunate inheritor
from responsibility for his evil course. His
entire existence being a long warfare against
such inherited desires with a will power.
equally a matter of inheritance. perverted and
weakened, the nature of his career is not to lie
wondered Mt. Not to him attaches the blame,
but going further back we iind as Mr.. Cole in
timated in recent number of the Journal.
that the responsibility attaches to his faulty
education, which should have commenced. as
Holmes says, a century before his birth. All
such morbid tendencies and passions being
either result or the cause of mental alien
alton, we find them often in alternate genera
tions assuming. now the form of depraved in
stincts and again that of insanity. The evil
tendency or the unbridled passion of the par
cnt may become uncomfortable mania or insan-
ity in the child. The saying of Feneius EN-
phasizes the position and the last clause may
yet be regarded with the serious consideration
it deserves. ''It is the greatest part of our fe-
licty to be well bern; and it We're happy for
humankind if only such parents as are of
sound body and mind should be allowed to
marry"
Thus we that hereditary influence Is
much more effective and education much less
important in the formation of character than
Mr.. Cole wculd have us believe. The natural
laws, which visit, justly or unjustly, the
sins and vices of the father upon the chill