THE HEREDITY OF RICHARD ROE, 119 
to him. He must give his weak powers exercise, so 
that their weakness shall not bring him disaster in 
the competition of life. For it is likely that some- 
where, somehow, it will be proved that no chain is 
stronger than its weakest link. Other powers not too 
weak, nor over strong, Richard Roe must perforce 
neglect, because in the hurry of life there is not time 
for every desirable thing. In these ways the character 
of Richard Roe’s inheritance is steadily changing under 
his hands. As he grows older, one after another of the 
careers that might have been his, the men he might 
have been, vanish from his path forever. On the other 
hand, by steady usage a slender thread of capacity has so 
grown as to become like strong cordage. Thus Richard 
Roe learns anew the old parable of the talents. The 
power he hid in a napkin is taken away altogether, while 
that which is placed at usury is returned a hundredfold. 
Now, for the purpose of this discussion, you, gentle 
reader, ‘who are an achievement of importance,” or I, 
ungentle writer, concerning whom the less said the bet- 
ter, may be Richard Roe. So might any of your friends 
or acquaintances. So far as methods and principles are 
concerned, Richard Roe may be your lapdog or your 
favourite horse—or even your Jdé¢e noire, if you cherish 
beasts of that character. Any beast will do. With Al- 
gernon Fitzclarence de Courcy or Clara Vere de Vere the 
case would be just the same. Let Richard Roe stand at 
present for the lay figure of heredity—or, if it seems best 
to you to humanize this discussion, let him be a man. 
The man Richard Roe enters life with a series of 
qualities and tendencies granted him by heredity. Let 
us examine this series. Let us ana- 
lyze the contents of this pack which 
he is to carry through life to the gates 
of the Golden City. 
Hereditary 
tendencies. 
