ty, hemophilia, etc., which are naturally perpetuated by
consanguineous unions when they are accumulated in one family, as well
as when two insane persons of different families marry. Therefore it
is not consanguineous unions in themselves (which are always
accidental in man and interrupted by others) but the hereditary
reproduction of pathological defects, often of blastophthoric origin,
which are the real cause of the evil. Statistics have clearly proved
that marriage between first cousins plays no part in the causes of
insanity.

Influenced, no doubt, by general opinion, Westermark tries to believe
in some instinctive repulsion of man for consanguineous unions. If in
modern society such unions, perpetuated between parents and children,
brothers and sisters, were still produced as in animals I should agree
that they might be injurious to the species; but, considering how
cosmopolitan and mixed is our modern society, I cannot make the
concession. On the contrary, I maintain that the isolated unions which
still take place between relatives in civilized countries are so
exceptional that they do not present the least danger, excepting among
the families of degenerates. It is therefore only a question of
superstition. What we have to guard against are unions between
pathological individuals and blastophthoric influences. We must not
forget that many degenerates and idiots have a great pathological
tendency to incest, and this is no doubt why the effect has been
confounded with the cause.

Westermark himself gives us a striking example. Since the most remote
times the inhabitants of the Commune of Bats, composed of 3,300
persons, have intermarried; yet this population is very healthy and
vigorous and shows no sign of degeneration. On the other hand, we have
seen that contrasts produce a mutual attraction in the domain of love,
while strong resemblances rather repel. Bernardin de St. Pierre has
said that love is created by contrasts; the greater the contrast the
greater the love. Schopenhauer remarks as follows: "Every individual
seeks in the opposite sex peculiarities which contrast with his own;
the most masculine man seeks the most feminine woman, while small and
feeble men love large and strong women; people with short noses prefer
long ones, tall and thin men prefer short and stout women. All this
increases fecundity." Thus instinct is sufficient to protect humanity
against consanguinity, each sex instinctively seekin