 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
84
Hereditary Genius
suddenly start into existence and disappear with equal abruptness, but
rather, it rises in a gradual and regular curve out of the ordinary level of
family life. The statistics show that there is a regular average increase of
ability in the generations that precede its culmination, and as regular a
decrease in those that succeed it. In the first case the marriages have been
consentient to its production, in the latter they have been incapable of
preserving it.
After three successive dilutions of the blood, the descendants of the
Judges appear incapable of rising to eminence. These results are not
surprising even when compared with the far greater length of kinship
through which features or diseases may be transmitted. Ability must be
based on a triple footing, every leg of which has to be firmly planted. In
order that a man should inherit ability in the concrete, he must inherit three
qualities that are separate and independent of one another: he must inherit
capacity, zeal, and vigour; for unless these three, or, at the very least, two
of them, are combined, he cannot hope to make a figure in the world. The
probability against inheriting a combination of three qualities not correlated
together, is necessarily in a triplicate proportion greater than it is against
inheriting any one of them.
There is a marked difference between the percentage of ability in the
grandsons of the judge when his sons (the fathers of those grandsons) have
been eminent than when they have not; Let us suppose that the son of a
judge wishes to marry: what expectation has he that his own sons will
become eminent men, supporters of his family, and not a burden to it, in
their after life?
In the case where the son of the judge is himself eminent, I find, out of the
226 judges previous to the present reign, 22 whose sons have been
distinguished men. I do not count instances in the present reign, because the
 |
|
 |
|