All variation of character, physical and mental, takes place in fœtal life. To the sensitiveness conferred by nature on the child-bearing woman is due her superior capacity to improve or degrade the race. To her _varied_ mental, emotional, and physical conditions during her periods of gestation are due the widely different characters of the children born of the same parents. * * * * * Every quality, or its absence, in man or woman is there, or is wanting, by reason of conditions afforded or withheld for its incarnation through the parents. * * * * * The compass and tone of each individual is absolutely decided before birth. * * * * * The faculties _actively used_ by the mother during pregnancy, rather than those lying latent and part of her original character, will be found prominent in her offspring. * * * * * Other things being equal, the children of youthful, immature parents will be inferior to those of the fully developed. * * * * * A marriage may, in itself, be perfect in every respect, yet owing to violation of natural or spiritual law by the parents, the offspring may be inferior to either or both. A marriage may be very imperfect, and the parties to it very imperfect characters, yet, through the influence of happily elevating conditions surrounding and, as it were, pressing in on the mother, _the children will be superior to both parents_. Education may modify, but never overrule inherited defects. CONCEPTION. Very much depends on the moment of union which precedes conception. Never run the risk of conception when you are sick or over-tired or unhappy; or when your husband is sick, or recovering from sickness, exhausted, or depressed, or when you are not in full sympathy with him, or when the children already yours claim for their welfare your entire strength and time. For the bodily condition of the child, its vigor and magnetic qualities, are much affected by the conditions ruling this great moment. Independent of the mutual, spiritual estate, the material supplied by the father for the vitalizing of the ovum, represents his THEN state of being, and will continue to represent it in the life it has helped to organize. If, therefore, this communicated principle be wanting in vitality or diseased, physical perfection in the child is not to be expected. This finest secretion of the man’s whole being--this subtle essence of his nature, which is both spiritual and physical--should express his best possible condition. After this he can only affect the child indirectly through his influence on the mother’s mind.