146 SYSTEMS OF CONSANGUINITY AND AFFINTY 



sister in the abstract, except in the plural number. These terms are not applied 

 to the oldest and youugest specifically, but to each and all who are older than the 

 brother or sister speaking. In several languages there is a double set of terms, 

 one of which is used by males, and the other by females. In some cases the term 

 for elder and younger sister is common. There are also a few instances in which 

 additional terms for brother and sister in the abstract are found. 



XI. All the children of my several own brothers, and of my several collateral 

 brothers, myself a male, are ray sons and daughters, and all the children of the latter 

 are my grandsons and granddaughters. There are exceptions to the first branch 

 of this proposition. In a few nations they are step-sons and step-daughters. 



XII. All the children of my several own sisters, and of my several collateral 

 sisters, myself a male, are my nephews and nieces, and all the children of the latter 

 are my grandsons and granddaughters. The exceptions are few in number. 



XIII. All the children of my several OAvn brothers, and of my several collateral 

 brothers, myself a female, are my nephews and nieces. There are many exceptions. 

 The children of these nephews and nieces are my grandsons and granddaughters. 



XIV. All the children of my several own sisters, and of my several collateral 

 sisters, myself a female, are my sons and daughters. The exceptions are few, and 

 chiefly confined to those cases where the relationship is that of step-son and step- 

 daughter. The children of these sons and daughters are my grandsons and grand- 

 daughters. 



XV. All the brothers of my own father, and all the brothers of such other persons 

 as stand to me in the relation of a father, are my fathers ; and all the sisters of my 

 own mother, and of such other persons as stand to me in the relation of a mother, 

 are severally my mothers, the same as by own mother. In several nations they 

 are step-fathers and step-mothers ; in some others they are little fathers and little 

 mothers. 



XVI. All the brothers of my o\vn mother, and all the brothers of such other 

 persons as stand to me in the relation of a mother, are severally my uncles ; and 

 all the sisters of my own father, and all the sisters of such other persons as stand 

 to me in the relation of a father, are severally my aunts. In a few nations the 

 relationship of aunt is not recognized, in which cases my father's sisters are my 

 mothers. In two nations that of uncle is unknown, in which cases my mother's 

 brothers are my elder brothers. 



XVII. All the children of several brothers are brothers and sisters to each other; 

 and they use, in each case, the respective terms for elder and younger brother, and 

 for elder and younger sister, which they do in the case of own brothers and sisters. 

 Exceptions exist in the limited number of nations in which step-father and step- 

 son are used. Among them the relationship is that of step-brother and step-sister. 



XVIII. All the sons of the sons of several brothers are brothers to each other, 

 elder or younger ; all the sons of the latter are brothers again, and the same rela- 

 tionship of males in the male line continues downward indefinitely, so long as each 

 of these persons stands at the same degree of remove from the original brother. 

 But when one is further advanced, by a single degree, than the other, the rule 

 which turns the collateral line into the lineal at once applies : thus, the son of 



