180 PLAIN FACTS FOR OLD AND YOUNG 



Spartan king was once required by liis people to pay 

 a heavy fine for taking a wife who was inferior in size. 



5. Criminals should not marry. 



It lias been satisfactorily shown by thorough and 

 scientific investigation that criminals often receive their 

 evil proclivities from their parents. What are known 

 as the criminal classes, which are responsible for the 

 greater part of the crime committed, are constantly 

 and greatly on the increase. There is no doubt but 

 that inheritance is largely responsible for the continued 

 increase of crime and criminals. A drunkard begets 

 in his child a thirst for liquor, which is augmented by 

 the mother's use of ale or lager during gestation and 

 nursing, and the child enters the world with a natural 

 taste for intoxicants. 



A thief transmits to his offspring a secretive, dishon- 

 est, sneaking disposition; and the child comes into the 

 world ticketed for the state prison by the nearest route. 

 So with other evil tendencies. By legislation or by 

 some other means, measures should be speedily adopted 

 for the prevention of this increase of criminals, if there 

 is any feasible plan which can be adopted. We offer 

 no suggestion on this point, but it is one well worthy 

 of the consideration of philanthropic statesmen. 



6. Persons ivlio are greatly disproportionate in size 

 should not marry. 



Wliile good taste would suggest the propriety of 

 this rule, there are important physiological reasons 

 for its observance. While the lack of physical adapti- 

 tude may be the occasion of much suffering and un- 

 happiness in such unions, especially on the part of the 

 wife, being even productive of most serious local dis- 

 ease, and sometimes of sterility, it is in childbirth that 

 the greatest risk and suffering is incurred. More might 



