264 PRENATAL CULTURE. 







favorable resultsi have been produced by sudden 

 impressions, observation proves that the talents 

 thus acquired are usually partly, or entirely out- 

 grown in early life, and are seldom transmitted 

 to succeeding generations. 



To illustrate the last proposition : A mother 

 was terribly frightened by a drunken husband 

 trying to kill her. The child born three months 

 later, up to the age of ten, was subject to the 

 most frightful dreams, would scream out in his 

 sleep and almost go into spasms; was extremely 

 timid and lived in constant fear of some one 

 trying to kill him. At twenty he had quite out- 

 grown the impression and had become normal. 



Mrs. S , of Seattle, during the sixth month of 



gestation, attended a splendid musical entertain- 

 ment, and was, as she expressed it, "completely 

 infatuated and carried away by the most excellent 

 recital." Her daughter in early life displayed 

 all but a mania for music, learned easily and gave 

 great promise, but at the age of 14 the abnormal 

 passion for music began to decline, and later ex- 

 perience demonstrated that her actual talent for 

 music was but a trifle better than that of her 

 parents or elder sister. 



Many similar illustrations might be given, but 

 these are sufficient to explain the proposition. It 

 a ^ so indicates the ever manifest tendency of na- 

 ture to maintain the normal. The fixed factors 

 of heredity do not readily yield to acquired char- 

 acters; were it otherwise, acquired abnormalities 

 would destroy all established types. 



Advocates of the new psychology assure us 

 that we are soon to have a revolution in our 



