4-48 BREEDING LAWS. 



as a public benefactress. Then breeding began to be 

 studied as an art ; young persons were methodically 

 paired. It was observed that children inherit the 

 the qualities and inclinations of their parents, and so 

 the brave and the intelligent were selected to be 

 sires. 



If food was scarce and if children were difficult to rear, 

 the new-born infants were carefully examined, and those 

 that did not promise well were killed. Promiscuous 

 intercourse on the part of the females was found to 

 result in sterility, and was forbidden. Cohabitation 

 during the suckling period, which lasted at least three 

 years, was supposed to injure the mother's milk, on 

 which the savage baby is entirely dependent ; and dur- 

 ing that period, the woman was set apart. Premature 

 unions among children were forbidden, and sometimes 

 prevented by infibulation, but savages seldom seem to 

 be aware that, for the young to marry as soon as the 

 age of puberty has been attained, is injurious to the 

 womb and to the offspring. The ancient Germans, 

 however, had excellent laws upon this subject. 



Finally the breeders made a discovery from which 

 has resulted one of the most universal of moral laws, 

 and one which of all laws has been the least frequently 

 infringed. Clans made war on foreign clans not only 

 for game-preserves, and fish waters, and root, and 

 berry grounds, but also for the purpose of making 

 female prisoners. A bachelor was expected to catch 

 a wild wife for his own benefit, and for that of the 

 community. He accordingly prowled round the 

 village of the enemy, and when an eligible person 

 came down to the brook to fill her pitcher, or 

 went into the bush to gather sticks, he burst forth 

 from his ambush, knocked her down with his club, and- 



