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No mother neglects this duty. The dull- 

 est at least lay their germs in propitious 

 places, where the new-born offspring will of 

 themselves find the wherewithal to live. 

 The best-endowed suckle, spoon-feed or store 

 food for their children, build nests, cells or 

 nurseries, often masterpieces of exquisite del- 

 icacy. But as a rule, especially in the insect 

 class, the fathers become indifferent to their 

 progeny. We, who have not yet laid aside 

 all our old savagery, do the same to a small 

 extent. 



The decalogue orders us to honour our 

 father and mother. This would be perfect, 

 if it were not silent as to the duties of the 

 father towards his sons. It speaks as once 

 the tyrant of the family clan used to speak, 

 the paterfamilias, referring everything to 

 himself and caring but little for others. It 

 took a long time to make people understand 

 that the present owes itself to the future and 

 that the father's first duty is to prepare the 

 sons for the harsh struggles of life. 



Others, among the humblest, have out- 

 stripped it. Prompted by an unconscious in- 

 spiration, they straightway resolved the pa- 

 ternal problem, which among us is still ob- 

 scure. The Minotaur father in particular, 

 170 



