THE NATURE OF GENIUS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3927, 6 April 1929, Page 1

THE NATURE OF GENIUS.

Genius and outstanding ability, though often and easily confused, are distinct, said Sir Humphrey Rolleston, Regius Professor of Physic, University ’of Cambridge, in his Huxley Lecture; ability is, as Galton showed 60 years ago, largely hereditary, and may be associated with a. family history of mental instability or defect. But, as compared with ability, genius is a finer and extreme development of the imagination and power of correlation, a,nd may extend out of the abnormal into the pathological. The association of genius with disease of the mind and body has no doubt l)eon exaggerated by 'the sbatelment that a genius is hardly ever .healthy; there are, however, abundant examples to support the contention of Lomlbroso and others that genius is often closely related not only with criminality and insanity, but with other m'oiibid conditions of the nervous system; this combination may occur in the same person, or the association may be shown by evidence of the neuropathic element in the genius’ family tree. In the latter instance the genius or spe-cially-gifted individual comes of a neuropathic stock, though not himself necessarily degenerate. Genius and mental bistability may be regarded as variations from the normal mentality. Their morbid manifestations may occur at different times in the same person, periods of definite insanity supervening and passing off; or insanity when it supervenes may close.the career.