80 The Journal 
I have been surprised and sometimes 
not a little shocked at the questions that 
have been put to me after lectures, in 
private, by people of recognized stand- 
ing as to ability and intelligence in their 
communities. The influence of the 
cheap and bogus literature on marriage, 
parenthood, prenatal influences, crops 
out everywhere when the lid of tabu is 
lifted and people discuss what they know 
or think they know or want to know, 
with one supposedly familiar with the 
facts. When I find, after lecturing for 
-forty minutes to a group of three hun- 
dred physicians, that I am cornered for 
private discussion of the science of 
phrenology in relation to heredity and 
mate selection, that doctor and layman 
alike have fond beliefs in maternal im- 
pressions and weird psychic influences 
afiecting the unborn, I can read such ad- 
vertisements as that of our friend who is 
interested in Eugenics and the sign of 
“canser”’ with charity. Says another: 
“Correspondence preferred with those 
having birth dates from April 19 to May 
20, January 20 to February 19 or from 
August 22 to September 23.”’ 
Religion seems to be stressed almost 
equally with social position, economic 
outlook and positive qualities of health 
and character. Some of the frank limi- 
tations as to correspondence are a bit 
amusing at times: 
‘‘Widows with children, Catholics and 
flirts need not write.” 
“Catholics, divorcees and 
persons kindly do not write.”’ 
insincere 
There does not seem to be such tacit 
acrimony on the part of Catholics to- 
ward Protestants. However, the religi- 
ous complex, as our modern psycholo- 
gists label it, is undoubtedly a strong and 
important factor in marriage selection 
and one with which any broad science of 
Eugenics will have to deal. 
One of the finest young doctors in my 
acquaintance, a man of exceptional per- 
sonality and intelligence, asked me what 
in the world he could do about being in 
love with a Catholic girl, whose religion 
his intellect refused to accept, and yet 
who made religious harmony a cardinal 
point in their relations. He did not ad- 
vertise for a wife, but from the dis- 
of Heredity 
traught state of his mind concerning his 
engagement and marriage, and the effect 
of possible disharmonies upon family and 
children, I should almost judge that he 
would have done more wisely had he 
consciously and directly put himself in 
touch with a girl whose brain functioned 
more like his own. 
In comparison with the daily topics of 
our respectable press, and the bulk of 
our journalistic fodder, these cheaply 
printed and homely worded matrimonial 
sheets are a veritable step into higher 
and happier levels of reading and think- 
ing. Somehow the will to believe that 
most of these expressions of aspiration 
for the solid goods of life are real and 
genuine gives one a renewal of confidence 
in the heart of the common people who 
write them out and have them printed 
at the rate of a cent a word. 
“Is there some good Christian lady 
between 25 and 40, of good character, 
good cook and housekeeper, fond of 
children and ranch life, who wants a good 
home? . ” etc: 
“Tam a young man of 26, college grad- 
uate, come from a well educated, aristo- 
cratic family, occupation druggist and 
chemist, have the best of health, fond of 
books, opera, athletics, 6 feet tall, weight 
170 pounds . ”” etc. 
‘Unable to accomplish a burning heart’s 
desire unaided, advertiser takes this un- 
conventional method to obtain the longed- 
for wish. Active German-American, age 
50, a Christian, perfect health, absolute 
teetotaller, never married, have varied 
business experience. Wish to hear from 
a marriageable maiden or unencumbered 
widow who has a hankering for free, out- 
door life . ete. 
Health, love of children, desire for a 
home, sound financial standing or ability 
to support a wife and maintain a home, 
and good character are the principal 
points emphasized throughout. Per- 
sonal idiosyncracies are dwelt upon 
sometimes at length, and seem quite 
amusing to us who merely read the 
printed word; but from what little I 
know of the class of people who write 
these ads., mechanics, farmers, railroad- 
ers, mill foremen—mostly from our solid 
labor stuff—they are usually frank ex- 
pressions of a deep and earnest desire. 
One of the cardinal points in Galton’s 
eugenic program was the study of in- 
