72 HEREDITY AND CHRISTIAN PROBLEMS 



show that, whatever the power of vicious heritage, 

 there was in these men a force sufficient for its 

 resistance. The example of Marcus AureHus is in 

 point. He was a descendant of a long line of 

 vicious ancestors, and yet his life was like a white 

 flower in the midst of a world of pollution. The 

 principle of atavism complicates our problem. 

 Ribot cites an instance of a murderous disposition 

 reappearing in a granddaughter who had a homi- 

 cidal mania, although her parents were apparently 

 free from any such taint.^ If a man born of 

 pure and honourable parentage is likely to be as- 

 sailed with evil from remote generations which he 

 cannot resist, what place is left for free will .-' In 

 considering this question two broad facts are to be 

 kept in mind. 



(i) The relation of body and will cannot be 

 determined by physiological or biological science, 

 so far as can now be seen. I make this state- 

 ment in the full recognition of the claims which 

 have recently been made that the phenomena of 

 the will may be explained by physiological exper- 

 iments ; for it is well known that in the midst 

 of the most morbid physical conditions arise often 

 the finest specimens of manly character. 



(2) All such discussions as that of Edwards' 



1 Heredity, Ribot, p. 92. 



