Jacob Abbott

King Alfred of England Jacob Abbott

Any one who will look around upon the families of his acquaintance will observe that familycharacteristics and resemblances prevail not only in respect to stature, form, expression ofcountenance, and other outward and bodily tokens, but also in regard to the constitutionaltemperaments and capacities of the soul. Sometimes we find a group in which high intellectualpowers and great energy of action prevail for many successive generations, and in all the branchesinto which the original stock divides; in other cases, the hereditary tendency is to gentleness andharmlessness of character, with a full development of all the feelings and sensibilities of the soul. Others, again, exhibit congenital tendencies to great physical strength and hardihood, and to powersof muscular exertion and endurance. These differences, notwithstanding all the exceptions andirregularities connected with them, are obviously, where they exist, deeply seated and [page 35]permanent. They depend very slightly upon any mere external causes. They have, on the contrary, their foundation in some hidden principles connected with the origin of life, and with the mode ofits transmission from parent to offspring, which the researches of philosophers have never yet beenable to explore