198 THE GLANDS REGULATING PERSONALITY 



tion of endocrine diversity in the make-up supplies us with the 

 rationale of the vast majority of organic and functional defects 

 and inferiorities, in short, subnormalities of any group, large or 

 small. 



Moreover, how would the psychanalyst explain the occurrence 

 and influence of organic and functional superiorities and 



ndous influence upon the individual and society? We live in 

 a generation which has acquired a flair for the pathologic. Un- 

 doubtedly it is a soul-sick generation, and its interest in 

 of the mind is only natural. Just the same, whatever adv: 

 improvements, progress, have been made (and certainly a number 

 of the changes in his environment, external and internal, must 

 be admitted to be changes for the better) have been made, not by 

 natural disability, but by natural ability. What is the phys- 

 iology of natural ability? 



The finest study of natural ability that has as yet been com- 

 posed is Francis Galton's on Hereditary Genius. It also remains 

 the best study of the natural conditions of success. He showed 

 that of the type of man he classed as "illustrious" there occurred 

 about one in a million, and of the type "eminent" about two 

 hundred and fifty in a million. Of the qualities which determine 

 natural ability of this kind, he selected inherent capacity, zeal, 

 and perseverance as the three prerequisites. And he bI 

 "If a man is gifted with vast intellectual ability, eagerness to. 

 work, and power of working, I cannot comprehend how such a 

 man should be su{ !." "Such men (those who have gained 



great reputations) biographies show to be haunted and driven by 

 an incessant, instinctive craving for intellectual work." "They 

 . . . work ... to satisfy a natural craving for brain v. 

 "It is very unlikely that any conjunction of oircum hould 



supply a stimulus to brain work commensurate with what 



• in their own const it ut ions." 



this inherent craving for br rkT What is this 



«eal? And v. r of e nduran ce and 



mina? How are they to be interpret d in terms of 



ns? 



of the ante-pituit:ir 

 llectuality, studies of intellectually 



'I functionn pituitaries, and i 



i number of eases a small limited pitu 

 it in star <>f inher as a 



dJ the ante-pituitary. The factor of . ithusiasm 



