160 MARRIAGE AND HEREDITY 



likely to breed insanity." Writing as a mad doctor, 

 Maudsley selects extreme cases in illustration of his 

 views, but the type of genius upon which he looks 

 with suspicion is clearly indicated in the foregoing 

 passages. In current speech the term genius is so 

 loosely employed as to cover a great many forms of 

 natural ability. Thus both Byron and Bismarck may 

 be indifferently spoken of as geniuses, although the 

 poet is of a wholly different order of intellect from the 

 statesman. Many men achieve distinction by dint 

 of sound judgment, hard-headedness, self-confidence, 

 and perseverance. These are hardly to be reckoned 

 geniuses, however great a place they may take in the 

 world's history. The word is more fitly applied to 

 men of that intensely susceptible artistic tempera- 

 ment which in art or poetry works by " inspiration " 

 rather than by reason. The difference between talent 

 and genius is well defined by the saying that " talent 

 does what it can, genius does what it must." The man 

 of talent, who by skill, shrewdness, penetration, and 

 untiring energy, combined it may be with refinement 

 and taste, commands the admiration of his fellows, 

 may be a very noble animal, a creditable and efficient 

 product of evolution ; it is highly probable that such 

 a man would distinguish himself in more than one walk 



