THE CAUSES OF THE STRUGGLE. 303 



only trace them by looking for the likeness in the 

 long gallery of family portraits. 



If this continuity is so strikingly exemplified in 

 the physiognomy, it can hardly be supposed to be 

 wanting in the mental characteristics. And, here 

 again we have an overwhelming mass of evidence 

 to prove that virtues and vices are often exactly 

 reproduced in the offspring. We commonly speak 

 of a child as the image of his father, and include in 

 that phrase not only a facial likeness, but often a 

 peculiar temper or particular likes and dislikes. 

 This is quite natural, the child could hardly be 

 expected to have the outward signs without those 

 inner feelings of which they are the exponents. 



Going a step farther, it will not be difficult to 

 understand that the results of the experience of all 

 past generations is contained in every living thing, 

 no matter whether they are conscious of the fact 

 or not. Possibly each vital cell is impressed with 

 the whole life history, and has a power of volition 

 apart from the conscious will. When we act 

 instinctively no doubt this power is brought into 

 action, for instinct is nothing more than the result 

 of past experience. Children do many things 

 with good consequences where we know action 

 has come from impulse and without knowledge. 

 Again, the forest Indian and even the half-civilised 



