I 



Con't'upoiKlcnn' irttli A/j>/min<r ilr Cant/of If 139 



de pai'KiitH inconmm <it trits vnrioH. .It) iiv Mim o<> iiu'oii pourrait cDiiclure <lo Icuni u|itilu(lnt. 

 Uous8eau ivviiit huh soh enfants a I'li^iiitul. On nvhI dcmnndi- h'jIh ■'■tiiifiit livvonufi <|n>'1'ii>''i I>'>hc>. 

 Je croiH qu'ils sunt mortti jeune vu les coiiditiimH d)-trHtii))Ii-H d«H ancii'iis hApitaiix  



Jc vous ticrai fort obli^d do tn'envoycr I'articlu du Krascr'H Muf^azine dunt von.-, hm- |>.>ii<>z, 

 do iiioino quu do toutn ri-dactiuii avoc ou saiiH critique de iiion travail quo voiis auricz la Ixint^ 

 do publicr. Kn attendant je voiis prie de me croiro, Monsieur, votrc tn'-H d6vou<' collogue, 



Alpii. UK Caxoolle. 



P.H. J'ai fiiit achever |>ar le libraire un exemplaire de men livre k la Hooi^tif I^jyaie. 



J '<'spi'''rc (|n'il est parvenu. 



42, Rutland Oatk, London. Mai/ 7/73 



Mr DBAR 8iK, It gave me much pleasure to receive your letter. I atisure you I feel like 

 yoUfNelf, that the Huhjocts on which we diflfcr are altogether sii))or(linate to the common interest 

 we have in arriving at the truth on the same line of imjuiry. My article in the FortnujhUy 

 was much .shorter than I should have liked to have made it, but there was a difficulty about 

 space and I crammt^d all I couM in what wiu< given to my dis|x>sitl. 



Of the many topics in your work left unnoticed I regretted much not Wing able to speak 

 of your most just criticism of the misuse of the word 'Nature.' For my part, I will never 

 offend iigiiin unle.ss through a slip of t\\» pen. Your work luus Ix-en reati by many of ray 

 scientific friends here, and a passage in it prompted one of the most effective part.H of by far 

 the most effective speech, — that of Dr Lyon Playfair, — in the recent Parliamentary debate 

 upon Irish University Education. The debate, as perhaps you may have seen, was one of 

 extronie importance to the future of science in Ireland, and the question was how far it should 

 be submitted to or emancipatetl from Catholic control. Lyon Playfair quoted the effect of 

 Calvinism in Geneva on science, during the time of its ascendancy in wholly suppn-ssing it, 

 which wa,s shown by the innne<iiiite start made by science as soon as the strict dogmatic 

 influence liegan to wane. He spoke with e.xcelleut effect and succe.s.s, and I know that he 

 derive<l at Ica.st that part of his argmnent from you, Ix-cau.se I hatl myself directe<i his attention 

 to your work previously iis having a direct l)eariiig on his then pro|K)sed spe«'cli. 



Thank you for your interesting fact ab<:)ut impregnation under the effect of alcoholism. One 

 of cour.se nt^ctls many such facts and it occui-s to me that pt^rliaps some direct experiment might 

 l)e made, say with white mice, which brt«d very frequently and largely, are easily reared and 

 cheap to ket-j). The he-mouse might be fetl on some suitable narcotic stimulant before being put 

 in with the femal(>. I have no idea what stimulant wouhl be suitable, one would have to try 

 cannabis sativa, belladonna, opium, etc. A strong instance (if accurately recorded) of alcohol- 

 ism combine*! lioth with the evil influences of clase interbreeding and of old age on the part 

 of one of the parents, in producing no bad effect on the offspring, is that of Lot and his 

 daughters ((n-nesis xix. 31). 



You are giKwl enough to remark on my views alnnit improving the human bn>ed, showing 

 the ditliciilty of detecting and of discovering defects whii-h families scrupulously conceal. But 

 then on the other hand, it must l>e lioriie in mind thai my primary t>bject is not to deter the 

 biul from, but to encourage th<' good breeds in, making early marriages. Tho.s«» who arc con- 

 scious of being of a gwxl stock would court inquiry, for by having a warranty they would l»e 

 advantaged. Pt-oplc take such extnw)rdinary l>ains to found families that they could easily Ik; 

 taught the importanc«> of marrying their sons and daughters to persons likely to cooperate in 

 U'getting children cajMihle of supporting the dignity of the family. Heiii-e youths having 

 warranties would Ik- sought after far more than the same |)ersf)ns are sought after now. After 

 many generations, the absence of a warranty wo<il(l l(K»k suspicious. — Kncouragement of the 

 l)est is the surest and safest way of discouraging the inferior. We are such a set of mongrels 

 that except in extreme cases we should not In- justified in 'Iwnning' any marriage. All we can 

 say is, that .sonu- marriages are more hop-ful than others. I therefore go no further at pre.s«'nt, 

 than urging that lioiH>fid marriage should Xie encourage*!. 



If an autunni's tour should take me to Geneva, T trust 3'ou will not think it a liberty if I 

 do myself the plen.sure of seeking your [H^rsonal He(|uaintance, with a view to some conversation 

 on the many sulijects in which we have a strong conunon interest. 



Believe rae very faithfully yours, Francis Oalton. 



To M. .Vm'iionsk de C.\ni)Olle. 



18—8 



