182 NATURAL INHERITANCE. [cx tr.
sufficient light. Longevity, marriage, and fertility must all be affected by the amount of consumptivity, whereas in the case of the faculties hitherto discussedthey are not affected to any sensible extent. It however happens that these influences tend to neutralize one another. It is true that consumptive persons die early, and many of them before a marriageable age. On the other hand, they certainly marry earlier as a rule than others, one cause of which lies in their frequent great attractiveness ; and again, when they marry, they produce children more quickly than others. Consequently those who die even long before. middle age, often contrive to leave large families. The greater rapidity with which the generations follow each other, is also a consideration of some importance. There is therefore a fair doubt whether a group of young persons destined to die of consumption, contribute considerably less to the future population than an equally large group who are destined -to die of other diseases. I will at all events assume that consumptivity does not affect the numbers of the adult children, simply as a working hypothesis, and will afterwards compare its results with observed facts.
I should add that the question whether the sexes transmit consumption equally, lies outside the present work, at least for practical purposes ; for whether they transmit it equally or not would not affect the results materially. Our list of data is therefore limited to these :-that 16 per cent. of the population die of consumption, that consumptivity is normally distri-
