124 THE MENDEL JOURNAL 



minds which are swirled into tempestuous action, 

 much in the same way that Autumn leaves are swept 

 before the equinoctial gales. In this island, those 

 capable of making violent suggestions, and those with 

 weak and defective minds that are swayed by these 

 suggestions, are both present. I am speaking on reli- 

 able information and from personal knowledge, when I 

 say, that on a recent occasion a violent suggestion was 

 made and the unstable minds responded. A mere 

 accident of circumstance only averted a tragic act. 

 There are imported youths in the island who are not 

 mentally defective in the ordinary sense of the word, 

 but on the contrary are exceedingly cunning, calm, and 

 calculating. They have almost the voice of a woman, 

 the plausibility of a consummate actor, but the 

 instincts and habits of a criminal. These are they 

 who, at a distance and under cover, throw out sug- 

 gestions of mischief and evil. The mentally defective 

 — some, as I have said, entrusted with guns or other 

 dangerous instruments — are there with responsive 

 and helpless wrecks of intellect. They are the 

 instruments of the cunning minds. 



Some day, unless the island be purged of its 

 defective people, it will be the scene of another 

 pathetic tragedy. All the elements for it, are there. 

 Those who are responsible for the maintenance of 

 this state of affairs are incurring a heavy respon- 

 sibility. I trust, before it is too late, they will weigh 

 the circumstances carefully. 



I come back now to Dr. Cobbett's main plea* (ante 

 p. 105) that, though individuals may be defective in 

 their character, yet if they are brought up under new 



