Year: 1878

An Arabian philosopher said: 20, God
/ be kind to the wicked Thou hast been
sufficiently kind to the good in making
them good We are surprised to find
that an infant which has done no evil
may inherit evil. a human being is pre-
sumably innocent on coming into the
world but we often bring with US most
terrific predispositions, such as infiict up
on us unhappiness throughout life Bad
traits descend by inheritance; but so do
good traits; and if, therefore, this morn
ing ! am to draw before you a dark pict-
ure, must put by the side of it bright
one. The left hand and the right hand
in the government of the universe are
contrasted as are the antipodes of the
world. but even antipodes are parts Of
one circle. Possibly we shall find that
after all the right and left hand OF the
laws Of hereditary descent are adapted to
each other, may easily be clasped the one
upon the other, and that behind the two
hands is only one form and one heart,
and that Almighty Gods. The descent
OF bad traits may be blessing. although
one of another sort than the descent Of
good traits. 1t is evident that the two
laws operate together under the control
OF one Almighty purpose, that OF mould
ing humanity into-it does not yet ap-
pear what-but into something like its
Author. Applause


| am accustomed to summarize the laws
of hereditary descent under seven heads
direct heredity, reversional heredity.
collateral heredity, co-equal heredity,
pre-marital heredity, prenatal heredity,
and initial heredity.


l. By direct heredity is meant the usu-
al action Of the laws Of descent The
child resembles its parents; and yet, as
Ribot has said. we must distinguish un.
der this head two different sets of facts
In the first place child may resemble
both its parents equally in the next
place il may resemble one of them pecu-
liarly but in that second class we must
distinguish two b-classes-the likeness
may be in the same sex, or not that is
the son may resemble the father and the
da lighter the mother. or the son the
mother and the daughter the father.


2 Reversional heredity occurs when
the child resembles ITS grandparent -
This is called atavism in the technical
Language of the books, and we are very
sure. from obser, alton, that il is one of
the most influential laws Of hereditary
descent. The grandson often resembles
his grandfather and the grandd' lighter
her grandmother. There is no possibility
OF explaining the traits of individuals
without using this law. of reversional he
redity perhaps three times out of ten
judgments differ as to the average Of the
number of cases TO which the law must
be applied, but they are numerous. It
is not important to our purpose here that
we should determine the number by even
an approximate average.


q Collateral hereditv occurs "A hon the
child resembles an uncle or aunt or some
one OF its relatives out Of the direct line
Of descent. This often happens. 1t is
one of the curious phenomena of inherit
ed traits, that nobody knows how to pre-.
dict in advance what will happen. As to
many OF the subtleT results Of the laws OF
hereditary descent, we know only that
they appear. We do not understand
their causes. Nobody pretends to under.
stand them. Nevertheless, our ignorance
of the causes does not imply ignorance OF
the effects. We are certain that there is
a law Of reversiOnal heredity, and law
OF collateral heredity, although we do not
know in detail what lies behind the laws


4. Coequal heredity is the name OF that
law by which, in the large average, the
numbers of the two sexes are mysterious.
ly preserved in substantial equality


). There is form Of heredity which
may be called the pre- marital, and it is
seen when the child OF a second or third
marriage rsSembles the husbau1 of a
previous marriage.


6. form of heredity which may be
called prenatal is observed where good
or bad, fortunate or unfortunate inhuen-
ces, which have powerfully affected the
mother as such, are exhibited in good or
bad results OF the greatest importance in
the lite of the offspring 1t is said that
the mother Of Napoleon read Plutarch' ;
/ lives and other heroic literature, and that
| her moods Of mind were transferred 20
/ her sor. This law, as to the existence OF
/ which all the ages are agreed, is prenatal
I heredity and the range OF il is limited
/ TO the real prenatal life Of the child.
I. Lastly, we have what probably is the


most important form of Inheritance ex.


cept the first | call il initial heredity
because this portion OF the laws OF hered.


itary descent turns upon the temporary


mood, good or bad, fortunate or uniortu.


nate, Of parents when they become such.


Ribot in his elaborate work on heredity
(p. l47, Am ed }, mentions only four oil


these laws lie omits the fourth, the


sixth, aud the seventh, and his analysis


therefore il curiously incomplete am


not aware that the seventh has ever been


called by the name here given to il. The


first, the fourth, and the last OF the sever