OF THE HUMAN FAMILY. 143 



diminish its value according to the degree of the distance of each person from the 

 central Ego. By this formal recognition of the divergence of the streams of the 

 blood and the connection of consanguinei through common ancestors, the numerical 

 system suggested by the nature of descents was affirmed. It also assumed the 

 existence of marriage between single pairs. 



In contradistinction from descriptive the term classificatory will be employed to 

 characterize the system of consanguinity and affinity of the Ganowanian, Turanian, 

 and Malayan families, which is founded upon conceptions fundamentally different. 

 Among the latter families consanguinei are never described by a combination of the 

 primary terms ; but on the contrary they are arranged into great classes or categories 

 upon principles of discrimination peculiar to these families. All the individuals of 

 the same class are admitted into one and the same relationship, and the same special 

 term is applied indiscriminately to each and all of them. For example, my father's 

 brother's son is my brother under the system about to be considered ; and I apply 

 to him the same term which I use to designate an own brother : the son of this 

 collateral brother and the son of my own brother are both my sons. And I apply 

 to them the same term I would use to designate my own son. In other words, the 

 person first named is admitted into the same relationship as my own brothers, and 

 these last named as my own sons. The principle of classification is carried to 

 every person in the several collateral lines, near and remote, in such a manner as 

 to include them all in the several great classes. Although apparently arbitrary 

 and artificial, the results produced by the classification are coherent and systematic. 

 In determining the class to which each person belongs, the degrees, numerically, 

 from Ego to the common ancestor, and from the latter to each kinsman, are strictly 

 regarded. This knowledge of the lines of parentage is necessary to determine the 

 classification. As now used and interpreted, with marriage between single pairs 

 actually existing, it is an arbitrary and artificial system, because it is contrary to 

 the nature of descents, confounding relationships which are distinct, separating 

 those which are similar, and diverting the streams of the blood from the collateral 

 channels into the lineal. Consequently, it is the reverse of the descriptive system. 

 It is wholly impossible to explain its origin on the assumption of the existence of 

 the family founded upon marriage between single pairs ; but it may be explained 

 with some degree of probability on the assumption of the antecedent existence of 

 a series of customs and institutions, one reformatory of the other, commencing with 

 promiscuous intercourse and ending with the establishment of the family, as now 

 constituted, resting upon marriage between single pairs. 



From the complicated structure of the system it is extremely difficult to separate, 

 by analysis, its constituent parts and present them in such a manner as to render 

 them familiar and intelligible without close application. There are, however, 

 several fundamental conceptions embodied in the system, a knowledge of which 

 will contribute to its simplification. The most of them are in the nature of indi- 

 cative characteristics of the system, and may be stated as follows: First, all of the 

 descendants of an original pair are not only, theoretically, consanguinei, but all of 

 them fall within the recognized relationships. Secondly, relations by blood or 

 marriage are never described by a combination of the primary terms, but a single 



