6o THE FAMILY AND THE NATION 



simple Mendelian principles, in the present state of our 

 powers of analysis ; though certain special forms, such 

 as musical skill, may be simpler to bring to order. In 

 ability, and characters of an equally complex type, 

 we cannot at present trace simple rules. But the 

 inheritance of ability is a subject of such importance 

 that it must be treated alone at a later stage of our 

 inquiry. 



