New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-17

t5enry Holt co.
-. conclusions reached by DR.. Woods in his
-, 70 determine the proportionate share taken
~ bsredity in the formation Of mental and
=, NE are interesting, whether they are true
- and will prove extremely valuable If they
." correct They seem TO have occasioned con-
.s.-sble surprise 20 the author. AS necessary
.,s,nt TO the method he has employed the
-. Is also a suggestive contribution TO the
60 OF history. IL such thing yet exists
tier in regard to which DR. Woods appears
,n some doubt In that case. perhaps the
80 volume may have the honor OF formu-
go f. OF al least OF indicating the lines on
80 n may be formulated Believing that
", ,rbo have hitherto written on the subject
-. heen too largely Influenced by personal
=. % render their views scientifically accurate.
"a have relied upon argument rather than
-, Dr Woods has undertaken TO apply the
- ,-rnartial test OF statistics TO his inquiry.
listing all the available instances bearing
- 4, and basing his conclusions upon mathe-
49, results The apparent difficulty of sub
,c human nature TO mathematical analysis
-. balzed him n HIS investigation and his
- adventure has certainly been rewarded by
:. Unexpectedly plausible array Of differences
.,rrot be gainsaid that DR.. Woods has
- ,,non HIS task in a truly scientific spirit
= has made intelligent use Of the data at his
-.---,aDd The weak point in his method is that
=. estimates on which he is compelled TO rely
!. .hs characters OF the individuals whom he
5,es are based upon nothing stronger than
s.urre opinion as interpreted by possibly. II not
-n.r1v- nreiudiced biographers and historians
Tsvsrtheless so far as the general consensus
.,s.s+,-, may be trusted approximately to indi-
=. the Characters OF the royal families of Eu-
=. us data may he accepted as reasonably
Of
.-.r,i-r 20 trace the influence OF heredity was
e. q r-ouu Of persons-arge enough 10 az
= o. foundation for a theory-abOut whose an
- there exists any trustworthy informa-
~. This difficulty DR.. Woods has overcome by
.,- fftaen of the reigning houses Of Europe
&c he has obtained mental and moral de-
..5-.iors Of over six hundred interrelated IN
s,,sz-s1s These he has graded 10 q scale OF
-, according to their intellectual and moral
.-5trr Thus. Queen Victoria ranks in Grade q
=. t-..-,a--,,aI attachments and in Grade 10 for
- .r-7-acrer- Peter the Great IS marked .
g. intellect and for virtue; and William the
silent Louisa Ulrica Queen Of Sweden ana
sss- of Frederick the GreaO and Isabella OF
CASTLE are The only ones who receive the maxi
NUN for both mental and moral character. Inc
author ex7ects that readers will object TO MS
-.ssfe,s-i1n. here and there. but reminds them
that
;, % vague idea Of their worth drawn from
reading accounts Of their lives, but pure
basis of the adjectives used IN describ-
-, ,bs.- traits by the best authorities, several
ssrersut sources Of information having been
used for verihcauon"
MS not possible IN a brief review to follow
~ Woods through his various analyses and
oslcuations which are clearly laid down IN the
hoax. and which granting the authenticity or
his assumed facts, are logical enough. The
Enev.hat unexpected conclusion at which he
s.sny arrives IS that environment has pracu-
caIly no appreciable effect on the formation Of
mental and moral character. and that heredity
alone is sufficient 10 account for the goodness
and badness. the ability and the incompetence,
OF every individual The largely differing char
acterfsrcs % brothers and sisters he attributes
10 the discovery he has made that, contrary to
Cations assumption. strong mental character
tstics 90 not freely blend, but tend 10 jump
about, and. If appearing at all, appear in almost
full force in those who are so fortunate or IN
fortunate as 70 inherit them in any conspicuous
degree" Thus when Two different types are
united or crossed some Of the offspring viii
show The characteristics Of one OF these varia-
lions and some Of the other. In a large number
Of children about half VIII exhibit the influence
q one strain. about half that Of the other In the
case Of Queen Victoria. her father, Edward.
Duke o. Kent, was one Of the better and more
normal q the children OF George III Her
mother, Marie Louise OF Saxe-Coburg-"the
ceanest and best pedigree TO be found in all roy
ay'-s graded 6 for both moral and intellectual
attainmcurs- The forecast for the future then
was very good from the moral standpoint" DR..
woods points out while from the intellectual,
nothing more than an average was to be ex-
pecied. Il is great mistake 10 consider that
queen Victoria had a bad ancestry" he adds,
as considerably over three-quarters Of the her
Haple influence was OF the best type that royal
V IN any OF its branches can offer" He goes
On 10 Say:
The marriage OF Queen Victoria with Albert Of
bearing on the future welfare Of the royal family
II LFele1a as one Of the best possible The unde-
vel eirl-nared and a cultivated Intelligent group
=" men and women may be expected 10 occur.
The case Of Alfonso XIII presents more
complicated problem:
s n pictures Of Alfonso XII show an entirely rely
.-4eteLi type Of face from the HapsbUTS- oeIboI
was there Ais grs- vie Nercedes was a model
% Feminine graces, and MS second wife, the pres
~ regent has character TOO well known LOT
Thus Alfonso XIII. the present King. may be
nelcneo win considerable interest Win iather
I'VE. tW0 grandfathers weak and eccentric. one
- htJil was physically degenerate toI pc9s3 '3Ii9
we o. them some unknown subject 81 lsaDelia > ;
one graunm1fLer. Elizabeth OF Austria e&cellehl I.
sAa uiri and fourth generation pedigree ltll %
wees and leUraEltles. 10 possibly revert TO- ana
Win one great Ora ndparent. Charles OF austria,
We ~ tie uDblasi and most brilliant princes
ever hvec, and bringing up Of the most c s
syTl Il Is indeed difficult 10 predict what the future
AiHg o. Spain viii be like.
Other conclusions. contrary 10 accepted De-
hets, al which Or. Woods arrives are that riches
and the possession u rank and power do not
tend 10 degeneracy. that the age in which a
person lives has no arr,reciable influence on his