Page:The Truth about Marriage.djvu/82

 Here is John Jones before us. Or Susie Smith. John and Susie both had parents and grandparents and ancestors from the beginning of time. These ancestors bring them their inheritance. They may not have brought them much, if any, money, but they have brought them lots of other things.

For example, they have brought them racial inheritance. Let us say that John Jones, in spite of his name, came of ancestors that lived in Russia, or let us say, southeastern Europe. In the veins of those ancestors flowed the blood of races now almost forgotten, but John is the result.

John may have been born in Russia or southeastern Europe. He may have traits and tendencies and qualities that are so foreign to Susie Smith, or to lots of other girls, that she would never understand him, nor would he understand her.

Well, should Susie Smith marry him? On general principles, I should say, No. He would be happier with a girl of his own race. She would be happier with a young man who had her ancestral background.

Now if a young man comes before a girl with a view to marriage, or a young woman comes before some young man, the first question to ask is. What is the inheritance? That is, what is the race