On the Cretim of the Vallais, 267 



precautions, or all of them united, will be fol- 

 lowed with the confequences devoutly to be 

 wiflied, time, the great touch-ftone of all experi- 

 ments, can alone decide. 



In the feveral defcriptions of Switzerland and 

 the Vallais, the fubjed has been fometimes cafu- 

 ally glanced at. Some brittle, hazardous ideas 

 have been thrown out at random, but in general, 

 it has been left in the ftate in which it has been 

 found, and the circumftance has been barely 

 mentioned, without any endeavours to point out 

 its origin and caufe. I have no claim to any 

 greater fhare of wifdom, and do not pretend, by 

 any means, to fuperior fagacity or penetration. 



I lay little ftrefs on the influence of the ima- 

 gination of the mother on the foetus, which has 

 been the theory of fome. Without entering 

 into the queftion, how, or in what manner, fuch 

 an imprelTion is communicated, I fhall obferve 

 only, it is an opinion which appears to be giving 

 way daily i and that even its warmeil partifans 

 admit only of its exiflience in very few inftances, 

 and under very limited reftridtions. The Cre- 

 tins are too numerous to allow of fuch a partial 

 caufe ; and as what is perpetually before the eye 

 foon ceafes to be matter either of aftonifhmenc 

 or terror, their very numbers would countera<5t 

 any effeft they might otherwife occafion. Their 

 countrywomen, born and bred up amongfl them, 

 confider them only as every other produftion 



of 



