Transmission; or, Variation of Character Through the MotherKirby, Georgiana Bruce
Science
Transmission; or, Variation of Character Through the Mother
Kirby, Georgiana Bruce
Heredity, Human
Could any instance more fully prove the mother’s peculiar power in
moulding the constitution of her child? The father’s thoughts were all
engrossed with his mistress. The mother’s persistent, intelligent,
unselfish aspiration alone saved her son from being the spiritual
brother of poor Katy--the child of malice.
THE NEW BERLIN PROSTITUTE.
The following illustrates the fearful consequences of sexual indulgence
during pregnancy:
“Charlotte and I were school-mates and dear friends ever since I can
remember anything,” said the young woman. “Our parents had been friends
before us. I think we were equals in every sense, except that Lotty was
handsomer than I. We became engaged and were married on the same day,
when I was twenty-one and she twenty-two years of age. Our husbands
are both honorable and kind men, and so far as our married lives are
concerned, we have both been well situated.
“In about the usual time after marriage we found ourselves pregnant,
and as we lived not far distant from each other, we made our babies’
wardrobes in company, anticipating, with much pleasure, the already
dear children.
“We had passed the fifth month, when Lotty, for the first time, alluded
to her most private life with her husband, saying she was so glad that
she could respond so fully to his demands. It had not been so at first,
but now the relation occurred almost every night, and she experienced
quite as much emotion as he did, to his very great satisfaction.
“I made an exclamation of surprise, and then was silent. My own
experience had been entirely opposed to hers, but I knew nothing of
right or wrong in such matters; I had nothing to reply.
“In due time, to our great delight, we each held a daughter in our
arms. Other children followed pretty close on their track, and our
meetings, though no less cordial, became less frequent. The years
flew past on swift wing. Our eldest children were thirteen years old;
mine a refined, conscientious, reliable girl; hers too mature bodily,
and with a rather handsome, but positive, sensual face. In order--as
they intended--to check the forwardness of her manners, she was sent
to boarding-school. Here she climbed out of the window at night, and
having had an intrigue with a boy belonging to an academy near by,
was expelled from the institution. The parents entreated, bribed,
threatened, with no signs of improvement on her part. Finally, when
this poor child wanted two months of reaching her fifteenth year,
she left her home, and of her own free will became the inmate of
a brothel. Once or twice, through the help of a detective, she was
recovered; but only to escape again to follow the life that suited her
organization.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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