THE LESSON OF HEREDITY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3622, 20 February 1883, Page 4

THE LESSON OF HEREDITY.

(Philadelphia Ledger.) It is now generally acknowledged that not only are features and forms transmitted from parents to children, but also certain tendencies to action, both voluntary and involuntary. At present, however, this truth is in its infancy, that is, it is admitted in a general way as true, but not realised as any ground for improvement. It is thought to be a blessing or a misfortune as the case may be, but it has hardly yet dawned upon us that it can involve any obligation. Indeed, in. some quarters it has even been .supposed to lessen instead of increase our responsibility. If we ivere bom thus and so, it is said, wu cannot help it, neither can we be held accountable for the development of germs which we had no hand in planting. This would be true, if all external iurluences were powerless to aid or hinder their development. But the same principle that underlies all agriculture holds good here. The farmer knows he cannot change the species of the seed and make maize yield wheat, or tho cherry branch bear plums. But he also knows that he can bring- many influences to bear upon the growth of each plant, after its kind : that lie can so accommodate its relations to sun, air, water, and soil as to ensure its better development or to stunt or impoverish it. So, if we learn tho true lesson of heredity, wo shall know that these tendencies, real and actual as they are, depend for their development largely upon the way they arc treated. Among the most marked of these proclivities is the jironencss of the physical system to certain diseases. That the children and grandchildren of people afflicted with consumption, asthma, gout, insanity, etc., are liable to he attacked in similar ways is recognised. The re-ap-pearance of the familiar disease is regarded as a sorrowful confirmation of what was feared, but as to taking any active measures to prevent the threatened evil, that seldom occurs. It is indeed somewhat strange that, in the present advanced state of medical science, so little attention is given to the subject of prevention. We wait until some disease has fastened itself upon us, or our children, before consulting a physician, and if he skilfully tides us through weeks or months of suffering and weakness to restored health, Aye deem ourselves fortunate. If, however, nature is too much tried and exhausted to respond to the efforts put forth for her aid the struggle ends in death. If the skill lhat has been put forth in _ either case had

been applied to the prevention of the disease, the life might have been saved, the suffering might have been averted, the long

period of weakness, with all distressing results, might never have occurred. If all phve-ieiant; would make themselves health teachers and counsellors, and if families and

individuals would become eager pupils and disciples, without Availing for disease to take root and develop, the improvements in the physical Avell-being of the community ivould convince the most incredulous of the wisdom of such a change. To cut off the entail of constitutional disease, by avoiding AY'hatever intends to repress it, is a task AA-orthy the utmost efforts of ei'eiy anxious parent and CA-ery AY'iso physician ; andAvhen the kill's of hereditary become more Avidcly understood it will be accounted a crime to neglect it. The inherited tendencies are, hoAY-CA-cr, as strongly manifested iv the mind as in the body, and here even a subtler science than that of the physician is needed. The external forces employed to train a child are only successful as they are adapted to draiv out, to guide, or to restrain the internal impulses. Unless Aye discover lY'hat these impluses are, and are likely to become, unless avc take pains to acquaint ourselves A\ith their orign, their nature, and their probable results, avc are not fit to take part in the guidance of a youthful mind. Alost of the mistakes and failures of educators proceed from ignoring these facts. They regard all child-natures as instruments of the same kind, upon AY'hich they can play their fai'oritc set of sounds. They embrace some one method, and try to fit it to every variety of temperament. The naturally cheerful and tho gloomy : the quick and slow: the affectionate aud the cold ; the honest and the sly : tho fiery and the apathetic—all are treated alike, and expected to groAv into the same shape. Great surprise is often shown at the diversity of result. AVhat needs restraining is thus frequently stimul.-iied ; Avhat needs developing is often repressed: what needs Aviso guidance is left to if self. If, on the other hand, educators would apply themselves to the study of so adapting external influences to the internal energies as to cherish the good and repress tho evil, tin-; effect on the character of the rising generation AY-ould be marked. So far from, the fact of inheritance releasing us iv the smallest degree from effort it imposes a fresh task, more delicate and difficult than any yet assumed. It counsels us not to Avait for tho appearance of evil, but to study the tendencies Avhieh lead to it, and to plan beforehand to prevent, it possible, its approach. it is irue that our first attempts in this direction may be bungling and feeble, but if we resolutely bring an intelligent mind and spirit of fidelity to bear upon tho Avork, it AY'ill be the beginning of a nciv era in education and self-culture.