impregnation influences the product of a sub sequeat one, in breeding any particular stock of animals, it would appear of importance that the female should always breed with well qua lified males ; and farther, that the genealogy of both parents for one step, if not more, back wards, ought to enter as an item into the cal culation of the probable qualifications of the offspring.
Much information is, however, still wanting on this subject, which, as it involves the most obscure parts of the generative process, we can hardly expect ever to be able to fathom. It cannot but be a matter of wonder and extreme interest to inquire how, in the unformed germi nal spot of the egg of the female at the moment when it receives the vital fecundating influence of the male semen, the disposition to the forma tion of those minute modifications of structure and function which constitute hereditary re semblances is capable of being retained and transmitted to the future offspring.
The celebrated Darwin and some other fan ciful speculators on physiological subjects held an opinion* that the transitory state of the minds of the father or mother at the instant of conception has a marked influence on the men tal and physical qualities of the offspring. Thus it has been alleged that children begotten after debauchery or drunkenness are liable to idiocy or weakness both of mind and body ; that when the amorous propensities are too much excited, the offspring runs the risk of erring in the same way ; and in short, that ac cording to the predominance of one or other sentiment, propensity, or frame of mind, the offspring may be a genius or a dolt, a sentimen tal swain or an unfeeling brute, a thief, a rob ber, a murderer, &c. Leaving to others the proof or disproof of the alleged facts upon which the above-mentioned belief is founded, we would take the liberty of expressing our doubts as to whether at the particular time alluded to by these theorists any idea but one is usually predominant. Nor shall we here dwell upon the obvious local treatment which is applicable upon the phrenological view of the subject; but as few may be aware of the real importance of that critical period in which life is conferred upon a new being, we have thought it right to put our married readers at least upon their guard against unrestrained yielding to any of the baser feelings or ideas, which do creep into the best-regulated establishments, requesting at the same time that they will communicate to their partners such information as may be con sidered necessary for the attainment of the grand object in view, viz. the improvement of the po pulation of this kingdom.
The belief now stated as regards the human species has also been applied to animals, and that either parent may thus influence the off spring. Thus it is asserted that the male race horse when excited by running, if not fatigued, is in the best condition for communicating speed to his offspring. Again, it is related that at
the time when a stallion was about to cover a mare, the stallion's pale colour was objected to, whereupon the groom, knowing in the effect of colour upon horses' imaginations, presented before the stallion a mare of a pleasing colour, which had the desired effect of determining a dark colour in the offspring. This is said to have been repeated with success in the same horse more than once. As a similar case, the influence acting through the mother, it is related that a cow belonging to a farmer of Angus, in Scotland, had been grazing in company with an horned ox of a black and white colour for some time before it came into heat. The bull which impregnated the cow had no horns, and differed totally from the ox in colour, as did also the cow itself; and yet, wonderful to ralate, the next calf was black and white, and had horns.
These stories lead us to the consideration of a host of extraordinary relations, from which the general conclusion has been drawn, by no very logical process of induction, that the imagina tion of the female parent is capable of exerting a powerful influence on the structure and qua lities of the offspring either at the moment of conception or during part of the period of utero gestation.
The effects of the mother's imagination upon the child are so various that we cannot hope to be able to reduce them to any general or com plete enumeration. Those which have attracted the greatest share of attention are of the nature of blemishes, spots, wounds, deficient and re dundant parts, in short, all unnatural or so called monstrous formations of the child. The alleged causes of these unnatural for mations include all those circumstances which powerfully excite the moral faculties, the fancy, desires, or passions of the mother ; sudden surprise, fear, anger, horror or disgust on her being a witness of any unusual or frightful event or object, or the opposite pas sions of joy, pleasure, admiration, &c. as well as strong longings, desires, and appe tites, whether satisfied or not. The influence of the mother's imagination upon the child is not confined in its effects to bodily disfigu ration or change, however, for those who carry their belief its whole length hold that the mind of the child may also be similarly modified. Thus it is stated that the ambition,courage, and military skill of Napoleon Bonaparte had their foundation in the circumstance that the empe ror's mother followed her husband in his cam paigns, and was subjected to all the dangers of a military life ; while, on the other hand, the murder of David Rizzio in the presence of Queen Mary was the death-blow to the personal courage of King James, and occasioned that strong dislike of edged weapons for which that crafty and pedantic monarch was said to be re markable.