INTRODUCTION.

THAT its PARENTAGE determines whatever is CONSTITUTIONAL the nature of every herb, tree, fruit, animal and thing endowed with life-its shape, texture, aptitude, characteristics, and whether it shall be strong or weak, sweet or sour, good or bad, &c., throughout all that is primitive in its nature--is a law of things, governing man, as well as brute and herb; that which gives existence, by virtue of its own inherent power, also determining whether its products shall be herbs, or trees, or animals, or human beings, and of what kind, and thereby their anatomical structure and physiological constitution; their original strength or feebleness of body and mind; their predisposition for virtue, or hankering after vice-all that goes to constitute the sum total of their natural characters; because in begetting any part of the primitive constitution of animal or thing, it begets all. The whole or nothing, is the only correct philosophy, the only matter-of-fact-every other doctrine being too self-evidently absurd to require refutation. Its law is, "EACH AFTER ITS KIND. "Like parents like children." "In their own image beget" they them. In what other can they? How can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit?" How can animal propensity in parents generate other than depraved children, or moral purity beget beings other than as holy by nature as those at whose hands they received existence and constitution? Nor do any but parenta influences enter into the formation of the constitutional character. Nor "each after its kind" merely, but "after its kind" at the time the being or thing received existence. That is: as are the parents, physically, mentally, morally, when they stamp their own image and likeness upon progeny, so will be the constitution of that progeny. True, education may modify, direct, increase, diminish, &c.; Sut remodel what is CONSTITUTIONAL it never can, nor either create nor eradicate any primary capability or quality of any anima thing. Though,

"Just as the twig is bent the tree's inclin'd,"

yet the bramble cannot be bent to bear delicious peaches, nor the sycamore to bear grain. Education is something, put PARENTAGE is EVERY THING; because it "DYES IN THE WOOL," and thereby exerts an influence on character almost infinitely more powerful than all other conditions put together, maternal before and after birth not excepted. This is the "ORIGINAL SIN," the "ADAMS FALL," to which is blindly, but justly, ascribed most of that depravity of children, over which parents mourn, and most of the sinfulness and consequent suffering of mankind. This is the great sower of hu manity. If it sows tears, humanity reaps sorrow--reaps the whirlwind when it sows the wind; but its good seed bears fruit a hundred fold, to the glory of God in the highest happiness and perfection of his creatures, here and hereafter; for, parentage determines the character and happiness in this life, and thereby in that which is to come. It alone can lay the axe of reform at the root of the

tree of all sin, and replant again those trees of Eden when shal bring forth fruit for the salvation of the world! Nor can that corrupt and bitter stream of human depravity and wo now bearing on its dark waters most of the imperfections, sinfulness, and sufferings of mankind, be purified and sweetened, except at its fountain head. There it may be-must be, if at all. Morality may weep in anguish; Christianity may preach and pray; education may teach; and philanthropy may labor; but it will all be comparatively in vain till parentage takes up the herculean labor of human reform and perfection.

Thoughtless mortal! sport not on the brink of relations thus momentous! By all the happiness your children are capable of experiencing, if endowed, constitutionally, with the very perfection of our nature, without spot or blemish, mentally or physically, more than if sickly, depraved, and miserable by nature, I conjure you, before you allow the first goings forth of love, to learn what parental conditions in you will confer so great a boon on the prospective bone of your bone, and flesh of your flesh! By all the happiness it is possible for you to enjoy here and hereafter in your children, or for them to enjoy in themselves and their descendants, if they should be beautiful, healthy, moral, and talented, instead of diseased and depraved, is it your imperious duty to impart to them that physical power, moral perfection, and intellectual capability, which shall shed such a halo of glory on all concerned! Prospective parents! oh, pause and tremble! Will you trifle with the dearest interests of your own children? Will you, in matters thus momentous, headlong rush

"Where angels dare not tread,"

seeking only mere animal indulgence? Well might cherubim shrink from assuming responsibilities thus momentous! Yet, how many parents tread this holy ground completely unprepared, and almost as thoughtlessly and ignorantly as brutes--entailing even loathsome diseases and sensual propensities upon the fruit of their own bodies! whereas they are bound, by obligations the most imperious, to bestow on them a good physical organization, along with a pure moral, and strong intellectual constitution, or else not to become parents! Especially since it is easier to generate human angels, than devils incarnate.

Once more: Words are utterly powerless to portray the amount, the aggravation, and the almost universality, of the perversion of that element, designed expressly to perpetuate our race. Nor can any other means whatever obviate or prevent either this perversion or its consequent misery, but sanctifying this propensity. To arrest its 'erri ac current, is impossible, because its flow is a part of huDanity itself. Nor need we. Only to purify and direct. Moral reform efforts fruitlessly attempt the former; this work proposes the later; by the simple but effectual instrumentality of properly direc ang the e and promoting the affections

LOVE AND PARENTAGE,

&c. &c.

CHAPTER L

PARENTAGE AS TRANSMITTING ITS VARIOUS PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CONDITIONS AND QUALITIES TO PROGE. NY, BY MEANS OF THE NATURE, FUNCTIONS, AND ADORN ING INFLUENCES OF LOVE.

L

Is the fulfilling of the law. Angels love, and are lovely, and those that love most, are most godlike; for "God is love." Nor is this Divine sentiment unknown to man. It forms a constituent element of his primitive constitution. None are wholly destitute of its charms, of its sweets. Blot it from the soul man, and you blast his nature!

of

But, there is a "friend that sticketh closer than a brother." There is a tie stronger than life. It is that oneness of sou "which binds two willing hearts" indissolubly together, and makes "of them twain one flesh." Connubial love! Thou

Thou queen of earth! Thou garland of terres

holy of holies" of human emotions! Thou glorious sun of our nature! trial loveliness! Thou solace and sanctifier of man! Thou life and soul of woman! Thou precious relict of Paradise! Thou Paradise itself! Oh, God! We thank Thee for emotions this holy; for bliss thus divine! We bless Thee for a foretaste of heaven so rich, so enchanting! The gold of Ophir, the nectar of Eden-all earthly blessings-are but as stars, and this the sun! But, oh! forgive and restore, for we have sinned against so great a blessing! Our souls are almost barren, which should bear this food of angels in such rich abundance! Take away our "wild olive tree," and ingraft thereon the fruit-tree of true love! and oh, earth! hear thou this chorus of heaven, and join herein!