Metcalfe,
in a dissertation delivered before this society in 1855, observed
that in the cases of widows remarrying the children of the second
marriage frequently resemble the first husband.
"An observation probably having some bearing on this subject was
made by Count de Stuzeleci (Harvey, loc. cit.). He noticed that
when an aboriginal female had had a child by a European, she lost
the power of conception by a male of her own race, but could
produce children by a white man. He believed this to be the case
with many aboriginal races; but it has been disproved, or at all
events proved to be by no means a universal law, in every case
except that of the aborigines of Australia and New Zealand. Dr.
William Sedgwick thought it probable that the unfruitfulness of
prostitutes might in some degree be due to the same cause as that
of the Australian aborigines who have had children by white men.
"It would seem as though the Israelites had had some knowledge of
telegony, for in Deuteronomy we find that when a man died leaving
no issue, his wife was commanded to marry her husband's brother,
in order that he might 'raise up seed to his brother.' "
We must omit the thorough inquiry into this subject that is
offered by Mr.
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