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Sex in education : or a fair chance for girls / by Edward H. Clarke
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SEX IN EDUCATION.

great - grand - daughters as illustrations of female physical degeneracy. There is con solution, however, in the hope, based on sub­stantial physiological data, that our great- grand-daughters may recapture their ances­tors’ bloom and force. “ Three generations of wholesome life,” says Mr. Greg, “ might suffice to eliminate the ancestral poison, for the vis medicatrix naturae has wonderful effi­cacy when allowed free play; and perhaps the time may come when the worst cases shall deem it a plain duty to curse no future generations with the damnosa Tiereditas , which has caused such bitter wretchedness to themselves.” *

The second consideration is the acknowl­edged influence of beauty. “When one sees a god-like countenance,” said Socrates to Phsedrus, “or some bodily form that rep­resents beauty, he reverences it as a god, and would sacrifice to it.” From the days of Plato till now, all have felt the power of woman’s beauty, and been more than willing

* Enigmas of Life, p. 34.