be followed in all cases.

I will venture to specify a few points of inquiry which, as it seems to me,
possess some scientific interest. For instance, does the education of the
parents influence the mental powers of their children at any age, either at
a very early or somewhat more advanced stage? This could perhaps be
learned by schoolmasters and mistresses if a large number of children were
first classed according to age and their mental attainments, and afterwards
in accordance with the education of their parents, as far as this could be
discovered. As observation is one of the earliest faculties developed in
young children, and as this power would probably be exercised in an equal
degree by the children of educated and uneducated persons, it seems not
impossible that any transmitted effect from education could be displayed
only at a somewhat advanced age. It would be desirable to test
statistically, in a similar manner, the truth of the oft-repeated statement
that coloured children at first learn as quickly as white children, but
that they afterwards fall off in progress. If it could be proved that
education acts not only on the individual, but, by transmission, on the
race, this would be a great encouragement to all working on this
all-important subject. It is well known that children sometimes exhibit,
at a very early age, strong special tastes, for which no cause can be
assigned, although occasionally they may be accounted for by reversion to
the taste or occupation of some progenitor; and it would be interesting to
learn how far such early tastes are persistent and influence the future
career of the individual. In some instances such tastes die away without
apparently leaving any after effect, but it would be desirable to know how
far this is commonly the case, as we should then know whether it were
important to direct as far as this is possible the early tastes of our
children. It may be more beneficial that a child should follow
energetically some pursuit, of however trifling a nature, and thus acquire