OCR Rendition - approximate

160 Hereditary Talent and Character. members ca the House o each. T6 to, as bar ly place they oc to our biogr relationships been added, names. Such and thb others, like Watt th early, full if sixteen navies were struck out of our list, the proportion of the relationship would remain as jay, or 1. in 7. And, these are almost wholly* referable to transmission of talent through the male line ; for eminent mothers do not find a place. in mere biographical* lists. The overwhelming force of a statistical fact like this ,'renders . counter-arguments of no- substantial effect. Next, let us examine a biographical, list of much greater extension. I have selected for this purpose an excellent brief dictionary by .Mr. C. Hone. It is not yet published, but part of its proof sheets have been obligingly lent to me. The entire work appears to contain sonic 19,000 names ; it is, therefore, more than thirty times as extensive as the list we have hitherto been considering. I have selected one part only of this long series of names for examination, namely, those that begin with the letter M. There are 1141 names that remain under this letter, after eliminating those of sovereigns, and also of all persons who died before A.D. 1453. Out of these, 103, or 1 in 11, are either fathers and sons, or brothers ; and I am by no means sure that I have succeeded in hunting; out all the relationships that might bu .found to exist among them. It will be remarked that the proportion of distinguished relationships. becomes smaller, aswe relax the restrictions, of our selection ; and it is reasonable that it should be so, for we then include in our lists the names of men who have been inducted into history through other conditions than the possession of eminent talent. Again, if we examine intQ the relationships of the notabilities of the present day, we obtain even larger proportions. Walford's " Men of the Time" contains an account of the distinguished men of England, the Continent, and America, who are now alive. Under the letter A there are 85 names of men, and no less than 25 of these, or 1 in 3,, have relatives also in the list ; 12 of them are brothers, and 11 fathers and sons. Abbott, Rev. Jacob (U. S.A.), author on religious and moral subjects. Abbott, Rev. John, younger brother of above, author on religious and moral subjects. ' . A'Beckett, Sir William, author, Solicitor-Gen. of New South Wales, and brother of late Gilbert Abbott A'Beckett. Adam Jean Victor, painter, son of an eminent engraver. Adams, American minister, son of John Quincey Adams. Ainsworth William Francis, editor of "Jour nal of Natural and Geographical Science," " Explorations in Asia Minor and' Kur distan." Ainsworth, William Harrison, novelist, cousin of above. Aivazooski, Gabriel, Armenian, born in the Crimea, Professor of European and Oriental languages, and member of Historical Insti tute of France. Aivazooski, Ivan, a marine painter, brother of above. Alhermarle, Earl of (brother Keppel). Albert, Prince (brother). , Aldis, Sit Charles medical. ' Aldis, Charles J. 113. medical, son of above. Alexander, James Waddell, American divine (son of a Professor). Alexander, Joseph Addison, Professor of An cient languages, and of Biblical and Eccle siastical history, brother of the above. Alison, Sir Archibald, historian, son of author of " Essays on Taste:" his mother belonged to ."a family which has for two centuries been eminent in mathematics and the exact sciences." Ampere, member of French Academy, and Professor in College of France (literary), son of the celebrated physicist of the same name. Arago, Etienne, journalist and theatrical writer, brother of the celebrated philosopher. Argyropopulo, statesman, son of grand inter preter to.the Porte. Aristarchi, ecclesiastic and statesman, son of grand interpreter to the Porte. Arnold, Matthew, son of late Dr. Arnold. Arwidson,, Librarian R. Library, Stockholm, author, 'son of a person who held a high posi tion in the Church. Ashbnirton, Lord, son of Rt. Ilon. Alexander Daring. h, and of the Medici and Orange, of four members wo first might be objected vorthy of the distinguished upy. But we must adhere phy; there are many more that could very fairly have as a set-off against these are two more Vanderweldes, ily of Richelieu; besides allam the historian, and echanic, whoso sons died of the highest promise. Even d