26 MARRIAGE AND DISEASE. 



up of innumerable characters, all varying in form and 

 tint, and changing with every generation as some drop 

 out and new ones take their place. The variously 

 coloured pieces are so numerous that even Nature cannot 

 arrange them twice in exactly the same order. But 

 although they are differently arranged in every case, 

 each family has what might be called a "family 

 pattern." In every member of the family the tracery 

 and tinting may differ in parts, yet there is a common 

 resemblance which is seldom wanting. This "family 

 pattern " is being constantly modified by the introduc- 

 tion of fresh characters, which in the course of time 

 may change the pattern altogether; but such change 

 is always very gradual. In the ordinary course there 

 is no rude interference with the general arrangement, 

 which maps out the great fundamental curves and 

 grouping which give a common likeness, and make 

 children of the same family like, however unlike. 

 Occasionally such radical changes do occur, and the 

 graceful curves of health may be distorted to the 

 angles of disease. The beautiful tintings which repre- 

 sent mental and moral worth may be replaced by 

 glaring, ill-placed patches of colour, or all order may 

 be lost in the chaos of idiocy ; or, again, the pattern 

 may take on the beauty of genius. But no such 

 arrangements continue long. They never become fixed 

 family characters. In one or two generations the old 

 family pattern modified, it may be, but still the old 

 pattern will appear again, or the pavement will take 

 on the blankness of death. 



