INITIAL IMPRESSIONS. 209 



foregoing prove nothing, for they might all be 

 attributed to other causes, but when we remem- 

 ber that there are thousands of such cases they 

 become significant. 



Prof. B. F. Pratt, M. D., of Ohio, who has 

 given much attention to this subject, tells of a 

 boy the initial of whose life occurred while the 

 parents were under the magnetic influence of a* 

 most eloquent, inspiring address by James A. 

 Garfield. The boy at the time the observations 

 were made strongly resembled the martyred 

 president. He was far superior to his parents, 

 brothers and sisters. His family were very com- 

 monplace people, probably somewhat below the Strange 

 average, while the boy was bright, magnetic, stu- uence 

 dious and in every way a superior, promising 

 youth. It would seem that the spirit of Garfield, 

 which for the time had taken possession of the 

 parents, controlled the heredity of the child. His 

 very life, appearance, mentality and ambitions 

 seem to have been controlled to a very marked 

 degree by the magnetic orator. 



Some have been * inclined to discount the im- 

 portance of initial impressions because concep- 

 tion does not always (and perhaps rarely) takes 

 place at the moment of coition. It frequently 

 happens that the germ and sperm cells do not The Inception 

 unite for hours after coition, and according to 

 some authorities the sperm cell may retain its 

 vitalizing power for three days or even longer. 

 This being the case, it is argued that the transient 

 states will have little, or nothing, to do with re- 

 sults. 



Certainly this fact destroys the dream of the 



