THEORIES OF HEREDITY AND VARIATION. 57 



the question takes on an importance that it would not otherwise 

 have. 



A little consideration will show the reason why this question 

 is one of vital importance. Man is a free agent, more or less cir- 

 cumscribed by heredity and environment. Consequently he may,, 

 in a large measure, do what he pleases, or what his intelligence tells 

 him is wise, convenient or safe. If he goes out walking, he may 

 turn to the right or turn to the left as suits his fancy ; he may live 

 a life of goodness, kindness and charity; or he may act the part 

 of the deepest dyed villain as long as his wit will enable him to 

 avoid being found out. 



While some men are so hedged in by hereditary traits that they 

 are not able to act by choice anywhere within such a wide range, a 

 very large part, if not the majority of men are so able. Even those 

 who are handicapped by a vicious inheritance, if above the grade 

 of idiocy, are capable of leading relatively better or worse lives, and 

 this capability is very largely dependent upon intelligence and brain 

 power. A man of great mental ability has little difficulty in choosing 

 his mode of life, and he usually chooses to lead a respectable life. 

 The man who is morally weak is the man who is mentally weak. 



QUESTION OF MORAL RESPONSIBILITY. 



If it be true that all the qualities, good and bad, with which a 

 man is endowed when he is born have their origin in the chemical 

 composition of the germ plasm, or in its divisions, or in its con- 

 junctions, and consequently are absolutely independent of any action 

 of the parents arising from free will, then the parent has no moral 

 responsibility arising from parenthood except such as arises after 

 the child is born. He may, within the range of his free will, be 

 virtuous or vicious, be active or indolent, in fact may be or do any- 



