OCR Rendition - approximate

ditary Talent and Character. 165 compels a man of genius wife from a narrow neig from the members of a fe But a spirit of clique i understand that in Germ much the custom for profe the daughters of other pro have some reason to be] anxious for further infor I can feel sure of it, that intellectual digestion of G men, which far exceeds corresponding class of our nien, may, in some consid be traceable to this practi So far as beauty is c custom of many countries lity purchasing the ha they could find for the laid the foundation of a I features among the ruli is not so very long ago in it was thought quite na strongest lance at the tour win the fairest or the nob est lady. The lady was the prize to be t ited,' for. She rarely objected to the arrFangement, because her vanity wai~ gratified by the Mat of the proceeding. Now history is justly charged with a tendency to repeat itself. We may, therefore, reasonably look forward to the possibility, I do obal3ility, of a h practice of extraordinary on our race, e in marriage nest and most moral, and s to our fancy, or a Laputa, if stem of compe-. iris, as well as o developed as tant quality of ere a consideratted to the enges as promised ould grow into State. We may nnual ceremony ta, in which the dowment Fund would address ten deeply-blushing young men, all of twenty-five years old, in the Following terms :-" Gentlemen, I have to announce the results of a public ex" amination, conducted. on established " principles ; which show -L hat yon " occupy the foremost places in your " year, in respect to those qualities of " talent, character, and bodily vigour which are proved, on the whole, to " do most honour and best service to our race. An examination has also been con ducted on established principles among " all the young ladies of this country who " are now of the age of twenty-one, and " I need hardly remind you, that this ex amination takes note of grace, beauty, "health, good temper, . accomplished " housewifery, and disengaged affections, " in addition to noble qualities of heart "and brain. By a careful investigation of " the marks you have severally obtained, " and a comparison of them, always " on established principles, with those " obtained by the most distinguished among the young ladies, we have been " enabled to select ten of their names " with especial reference to your- indi-vidual vidual q~ualities. ' It appears that " marriages"'TSetween you and these ten " ladies, according to the list I hold in " my hand, would offer the probability " of unusual happiness to yourselves, " and, what is of paramount interest " to the State, would probably result " in an extraordinarily talented issue. " Under these circumstances, if any or " all of these marriages should be agreed " upon, the Sovereign herself will give away the brides, at a high and solemn " festival, six months hence, in West" minster Abbey. We, on our part, are prepared, in each case, to assign `~ 5,0001. as a wedding-present, and to defray the - cost of maintaining and " educating your children, out of the " ample funds entrusted to our disposal o select his bourhood, or families. not bad. I ny it is very ors to marry essors, and I eve, but am ation before he enormous rman literary that of the own countryrable degree, e. neerned, the of the nobisomest girls r wives, has igher type of g classes. . It England that ural that the ament should not venture to say the p recurrence of some su competition. What an effect might be produce if its object was to un those who possessed the suitable natutes, ment physical ! Let us, then, give rei and imagine a Utopia you will-in which a s titive examination for for youths, had been to embrace every inipo mind and body, and wl ble sum was yearly all dowment of such marr to yield children who eminent servants of the picture to ourselves an in that Utopia or Lapt Senior Trustee of the E 1 by the State." If a twentieth part of the- cost and pains were spent in measures for the improvement of the human race that is spent on the improvement of the breed of horses and cattle, what a galaxy of genius might we not create ! We