ngs of the disposition, the intelligence and the will
power, to the least details of hair, nails and bone structure, etc.
And the combination of the qualities of one's ancestors in heredity is
so manifold and so unequal that it is extremely difficult to arrive at
fixed conclusions regarding it. Hereditary traits and tendencies are
developed out of the energies of the original conjugated germ-cells
throughout life, up to the very day of death. Even aged men often show
peculiarities in the evening of their life which may be clearly
recognized as inherited, and duplicating others shown by their
forbears at the same period of life.

As has already been mentioned every individual inherits, generally
speaking, as much from his paternal as from his maternal progenitors.
This in spite of the fact that the tiny paternal germ-cell is the
only medium of transmission of the paternal qualities, while the
mother furnishes the much larger egg-cell, and feeds him throughout
the embryonic period.

THE ENGRAM

An interesting theory maintains that the external impressions made
upon an organism which reacts to them and receives them, might be
called _engrams_ or "inscriptions." Thus the impression of some object
we have seen or touched (let us say we have seen a lion) may remain
engraved on our mind as an impression. Hence every memory picture is
one of engrams, whether the impression is a conscious one or an
unconscious one. According to this same theory the reawakening of an
older impression is an _ecphory_. Some new stimulation may thus
ecphorate an old engram. Now the entire embryonal development of the
human child is in reality no more than a continuous process of
ecphoration of old engrams, one after another. And the entire complex
of our living human organism is made up entirely of these
energy-complexes engraved on our consciousness or subconsciousness.
The sum total of all these engrams, in a living human being, according
to the theory advanced, is given the name of _mnema_. That which the
child receives in the way of energies contained in the germ-cells from
its ancestors is his hereditary _mnema_. And that which he acquires in
the course of his own individual life is his acquired or individual
_mnema_.

CHAPTER III

SEX IN MALE CHILDHOOD

(FROM 14 TO 16)

During the first years of child life all tho