spring, and is often more
strongly marked in the latter than in the former.

7. MARKS AND DEFORMITIES.--Marks and deformities are all transmissible from
parents to offspring, equally with {265} diseases and peculiar
proclivities. Among such blemishes may be mentioned moles, hair-lips,
deficient or supernumerary fingers, toes, and other characteristics. It is
also asserted that dogs and cats that have accidentally lost their tails,
bring forth young similarly deformed. Blumenbach tells of a man who had
lost his little finger, having children with the same deformity.

8. CAUTION.--Taking facts like these into consideration, how very important
is it for persons, before selecting partners for life, to deliberately
weigh every element and circumstances of this nature, if they would insure
a felicitous union, and not entail upon their posterity disease, misery and
despair. Alas! in too many instances matrimony is made a matter of money,
while all earthly joys are sacrificed upon the accursed altars of lust and
mammon.

[Illustration]

{266}

Preparation for Maternity.

1. WOMAN BEFORE MARRIAGE.--It is not too much to say that the life of women
before marriage ought to be adjusted with more reference to their duties as
mothers than to any other one earthly object. It is the continuance of the
race which is the chief purpose of marriage. The passion of amativeness is
probably, on the whole, the most powerful of all human impulses. Its
purpose, however, is rather to subserve the object of continuing the
species, than merely its own gratification.

2. EXERCISE.--Girls should be brought up to live much in the open air,
always with abundant clothing against wet and cold. They should be
encouraged to take much active exercise; as much, if they want to, as boys.
It is as good for little girls to run and jump, to ramble in the woods, to
go boating, to ride and drive, to play and "have fun" generally, as for
little boys.

3. PRESERVE THE SIGHT.--Children should be carefully prevented from using
their eyes to read or write, or in any equivalent exertion, either before
breakfast, by dim daylight, or by artificial light. Even school studies
should be such that they can be dealt with by daylight. Lessons that cannot
be learned without lamp-light study are almost certainly excessive. This
precaution should ordinarily be maintained until the age of puberty is
reached.

4. BATHING.--Bathing should be enforced according to constitut