Idiots in Adams, N. Y., and other places.

Inhabitants of Martha's Vineyard.

either he would have no living children, or, if he had, they would be almost certain to be deformed, or deficient in intellect.

In the town of A., the author was handed a letter, in a very prompt, polite manner, by the son of the P. M. After he had left the room, "A very smart boy, that," said I. "How old do you think that boy is?" said one present. "About ten years," said I. "He is seventeen," was the reply; and he has a brother as small in proportion." "Then, were not his parents cousins?" said I. "Yes," was the an

swer.

Directly across the road from the tavern where I put up, in Adams, Jefferson county, N. Y., were two idiots, the children of cousins, whose heads I examined. They barely knew how to chew and swallow: but not how to feed themselves nor walk. The head of the eldest, some twenty years old, measured but nineteen inches, not more than that of an infant a year old ought to measure, and the other but seventeen; and one of this unfortunate family had just died, a total idiot, and another some time before. Only one of the children escaped either idiocy or death in infancy, and that oue had barely sense enough to get along; both parents were intellectual.

In D., Pa., I was called upon by a very anxious mother, who was wealthy, and had lost all of her children but two, which were very feeble, their muscles lax, waists yielding, and they generally sick. She married her cousin.

Dr. Kimball, of Sackett's Harbor, states that there is a partial idiot living some three miles east of that village, who commits to memory with astonishing facility, yet cannot take care of himself, and is flat. His parents were cousins.

A Professor in a New England college married his cousin, and has several clump-looted children. Pity he had not learned the evil consequences of marrying his cousin, along with his literary lore. He was penny wise and pound foolish."

I have been informed that the inhabitants of Martha's Vineyard have married "in and in," till many of them are blind, deaf, dumb, and deformed, and some, all. My in

Facts near Boston.

Facts from Maine.

formant said she knew two blind girls whose parents were cousins, and though both parents heard and saw well, yet their children were blind.

A lady whom I met in Boston, in 1841, said, that, while living in a neighboring town, she was struck with the curious speeches of some of the school-mates of her sons, as reported by the latter, and on inquiry, found that they were flats, and that their parents were cousins. Inquiring further, she ascertained that four couple in the town had married cousins, and that more or less of the children of every couple were simpletons.

Another lady, in 1843, related cases that occurred in a city near Boston, in which the children of cousins were below par.

A lady furnishes the following:-" Mr. B., of W., married his first cousin, and had two children, both deaf and dumb. "Mr. L., of W., married his first cousin; children two, both blind. Mr. L., of W., married his cousin; has one child only, deaf and dumb, and could not walk when four years old. J. H, of W., married his first cousin, children two, both natural fools.

"Mr. D., of C. E., married his own cousin, children three, all hermaphrodites.

"S. H., of P., married his first cousin, has three children, all natural fools; so much so, that they cannot talk, and have to be fed with spoon-victuals, because they have not sense enough to chew their food. The youngest of the three is twenty-seven, and cannot walk, but sits on the floor, and hitches along a little.

"Mr. H. married his cousin, has seven children, one of which was only about half-witted.

"D. L., of W., married his own cousin, and has nine children, two of whom are incapable of any kind of labor, act like drunken persons, and have the St. Vitus dance to such a degree, that it destroys all control over their muscles. Two other children show a marked deficiency of intellect." She adds, "I know twenty other cases, where the parents were first, or first and second cousins, whose children are quite below par."

Marrying cousins to keep property in the family.

The laws of Moses.

I know a whole family of eleven children whose parents married cousius, to keep property in the family,-a mean, miserly, despicable motive surely, and, though they kept the property together, yet one child was a total idiot, and most of them were dull. The next generation, actuated by the same mean, penurious motive, have mostly pursued the same course, and thus, married double consins, that is, cousins have married the children of cousins; and if the idiocy of the offspring do not run out the property, family, and all, then Nature's laws may be violated with impunity.

To this list of facts, any required number might be added, but I forbear. A principle supported by almost every marriage of cousins, will not probably be questioned; and if so, let Lawrence, Combe, and Walker be consulted. I grant thaty we sometimes find the children of cousins passable, but these cases occur where the parties do not take after the parent by whom they are related, but where each takes after some other parent or grand parent, in which case, less injurious consequences may be apprehended, but, even then, there is danger. A vigorous intellectual and physical organization in the parents may modify this result, yet, in such cases, the children will be far below either parent.

The laws of Moses, also, forbid the marriage of those who are near of kin," because, doubtless, such marriages result unfavorably to ofspring. Every one of those laws, as far as I have been able to ascertain, are based on physiology, and forbid what is hurtful in itself, and recommend what is wholesome in itself. Thus, they forbid the eating of swine, the fat of meat, and also the Blood, because, probably, pork is mostly fat, and fat meat is hard of digestion, and injurious, and so of blood. So, also, frequent ablutions are required by the Mosaic code, because, doubtless, bathing frequently is so eminently conducive to health. For a sin.lar physiological reason, in all probability, does it forbid the marriage of blood relations, namely, because that marriage is, in itself, so detrimental to offspring. Nor do I doubt but this marriage of cousins is injurious to husland and wife, as to health, and as to contentment and length of life, but this is a surmise merely.

Greai men from long-loved families.

The women of our nation.

This point bears somewhat upon a point agitated by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, namely, whether a widower should be allowed to marry his first wile's sister. Such a marriage, probably, violates no physiological or mental law, and is therefore right; and, 10 boggle their brains, and divide the churches, and waste so much wiri and ink on a matter not wrong in itself, and productive of no evil consequences, is to be wise in non-essentials.

The marriage of other near blood relations is governed by the same laws, and attended with the same evil consequences, which follow the marriage of cousins; and the nearer the relation of parents, the worse for the offspring.

SECTION VII.

SUMMARY; OR CONCLUDING INFERENCES AND REMARKS.

First: All great men are from a long-lived parentage. Washington's mother was found at work in her garden when eighty-two; and died at eighty-five. Franklin's parents were aged. O'Connell is from a very long-lived stock, and in his prime now when he is past sixty. Charles G. Finney's father lived to be about 84, and mother above (); and a brother of his father is now alive, and considerably alove 94. De Witt Clinton's ancestors were long-lived, and also distinguished for talents. Those who settled New Englard were generally long-lived, and to that cause, in no inconderable degree, is to be attributed our national greatness and talents. Jolin Quincy Adams' great grand father inte to the age of 93, and father 91; and so of Dr. Bowditch. C'siiyle, Dr. Johnson, Webster, and a host of others. Vor do I know a distinguished man who is not Indeed, that very condition of physical strength already shown to be absolutrir necessary to sustain a very powerful brain, also gives del acconpanies longevity.

Secondly: Every thing depends on the women of the nation. As they are, so are future generations; ond ne:11.3

is more certain, than that our women are not what they should be Woman is what main makes her. It is her nature thus to adape herself to the wants and tastes of that sex, on plens.nz wluch, all her hopes depend. She is easily moulded-sever really to gint he want, or to pidit; to stay within doors, or to go much abroud; to talk sense or nonnse; to work or play: to be extravagant of frugal; to be powish or fan.bar;ser.ous or gay, ale., di, aceed.ng to the drin end of the nariin tal market. And for man to requ're at the hand of comisine woman, ulcere very natrro 1s, to adapt hersel to it, that auch m'urts hei, tishlaily or;!. 18.wili, is tot di'y to 11.jre ler, lut a.s.) to lejlire -><!'), and then, tuin'ire himci, by citing

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