THE FACTORS OF HEREDITY. 101 



opposing influence and conjoined action of the 

 others. 



4. Each of the several factors exist in ever- 

 varying degrees of stf ength and activity. In one 

 parent, the national traits and family peculiarities 

 may be the controlling factors ; in -the other, the 

 acquired characteristics and those resulting from 

 some combination may be most potent. 



5. The influence of one parent may be much 

 greater than that of the other; or the influence 

 of the two may be harmonious and conducive to a 

 common end, or they may stand in direct opposi- 

 tion to each other. Thus one parent's nature may ^0^ 

 tend to produce in the offspring intellectual, me- Parental 

 chanical, artistic or moral tendencies, while the^ 1 ^ 6 * 211065 * 

 other may add nothing to these qualities, or may 



stand in direct opposition to them and counter- 

 act what otherwise might have been a good in- 

 heritance. 



Finally, the fixed characteristics and those ac- Fixed versus 

 quired may stand in direct opposition to each Acquired 

 other. In some families the former, and in others 

 the latter, seemingly control the heredity. 



Illustrations of this last proposition are observ- 

 able, not only among families, but among na- 

 tionalities. Some nationalities lose their national 

 characteristics from change of environment much 

 quicker than do others. The Hebrews are a splen- The Hebrew 

 did illustration of the continuity of an estab- 

 lished type in opposition to the changes wrought 

 by environment and acquired tendencies. By cen- 

 turies of discipline, under the most rigid laws, 

 "God made them a peculiar people," and these 

 peculiarities are maintained despite all other in- 



