V. 



THE HEREDITY OF RICHARD ROE. 

 " Vom Vater hab' ich die Statur."* GOETHE. 



WHEN Richard Roe was born, "the gate of gifts was 

 closed" to him. Henceforth he must expect nothing 



new and must devote himself to the 

 Formation of , , .. . . . , , , 



character development of the heritage he had 



received from his father and mother. 

 He must bring its discordant elements into some sort of 

 harmony. He must form his Ego by the union of these 

 elements. He must soften down their contradictions. 

 He must train his elements of strength to be helpful 

 to some one in some way, that others may be helpful 



* " Stature from father and the mood 

 Stern views of life compelling ; 

 From mother, I take the joyous heart 

 And the love of story-telling. 



" Great-grandsire's passion was the fair, 



What if I still reveal it? 



Great-granddam's, pomp and gold and show, 

 And in my bones I feel it. 



" Of all the various elements 



That make up this complexity, 

 What is there left when all is done, 

 To call originality? 1 ' 



GOETHE : Zahme Xcnien, vi ; Bayard Taylor's translation in 

 part. 



118 



