EARLY MARRIAGES. 249 



of them are idiotic, dumb, blind, scrofulous, and other- 

 wise imperfect and deformed than the children of 

 parents generally ; they have a less firm hold on life 

 than the children of mature parentage, and many 

 succumb to scrofulous and nervous affections, a great 

 number dying of convulsions before or during the 

 period of the first dentition. As a class, such chil- 

 dren are decidedly not long-lived, and those who do 

 attain the age of maturity are generally delicate and 

 under-sized physically, often obtuse, and more or 

 less dwarfed mentally, if not distorted at least blunted 

 morally, and are wanting in spirit, energy, and 

 courage. 



This last mentioned trait lack of courage is 

 peculiarly characteristic of the offspring of immature 

 parents, as well in the human family as in the brute 

 creation. For instance, dogs the offspring of immature 

 parents, whatever the ferocity of the breed, are timid, 

 fearful creatures, that can be taught nothing ; spirit- 

 less curs, that are absolutely worthless, and are as a 

 consequence but rarely permitted to long survive their 

 birth. In the human family this want of courage has 

 always been recognised as a failing of children of 

 immature parentage. To be called the " son of a boy " 

 or the " child of a girl " is synonymous with being 

 called a coward. Thus Shakespeare, who knew some- 

 thing of everything, makes Macbeth exclaim when 

 addressing Banquo's ghost : 



" What man dare, I dare. 

 Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear, 

 17 



