GENIUS AND ABILITY

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1481, 25 March 1924, Page 2

GENIUS AND ABILITY

In a paper on "Hereditary Ability as Exemplified in Certain Genealogies," read by Mr T. J. Gun before the Society of Genealogists, descents through the female line, which are not as a rule accorded so much attention as those in the male line, were says the Times, mainly dealt with. Mr Gun said that from numerous tables that he had compiled he came to the conclusion that ability on the whole descended more through the father than through the mother, notwithstanding the popular idea to the contrary. Taking as a test notices in the "Dictionary of National Biography," it would appear that the proportion is three to two. Some remarkable instances of transmission of ab'ility through female lilies were, however, noted. Scientific and lite rary ability was not often transmitted, though the Darwins were interesting exceptions. Often, while ability continued, it took another form; for example, Sir Victor Horsley, the great surgeon, was connected mainly with musicians and arlists : and Robert Louis Stevenson was the grandson and nephew of eminent engineers. The conclusion drawn by the lecturer was that while actual genius hardly ever descends, ability shows a tendency to persist for three or four generations at least, and. under favourable circumstances, for much longer.