. Nature in downland. it is rare forit to extend farther than three generations back. Wesee that racial characters are practically everlasting,that they are never wholly swamped. Families ofdistinct races may go on mixing and remixing theirblood for scores of generations; yet children ever andanon will continue to be born that seem not theoffspring of their parents, or of any near progenitors;but in them the ancient type that was obscured andappeared about to be lost for ever is suddenly re-stored, distinct in all its lineaments. It is as if acask of soured and turbid liquor, in some day ofstr
. Nature in downland. it is rare forit to extend farther than three generations back. Wesee that racial characters are practically everlasting,that they are never wholly swamped. Families ofdistinct races may go on mixing and remixing theirblood for scores of generations; yet children ever andanon will continue to be born that seem not theoffspring of their parents, or of any near progenitors;but in them the ancient type that was obscured andappeared about to be lost for ever is suddenly re-stored, distinct in all its lineaments. It is as if acask of soured and turbid liquor, in some day ofstrange atmospheric conditions, had suddenly runclear again, and had again the lost fragrance andflavour, and sparkle and brilliant colour: and thisis a miracle of nature, an eternal mystery, and islike a re-incarnation and a resurrection. As with racial characters, so it is, although in a THE SHEPHERD OF THE DOWNS 121 less degree, with fixed family features, and with thecharacters, physical and moral, that are produced. A Sussex Maid by what is called good blood. These features andcharacters may become obscured and even disappearfor a time; but they are not lost; from generation 122 NATURE IN DOWNLAND to generation they will ever and anon continue toreappear. This well-known fact and the less familiarfact that a very large number of persons of goodfamily are constantly being submerged in the lowerranks, is to my mind a sufficient and the only ex-planation of the numerous handsome and beautifulfaces and figures to be found among the peasantry. I here recall the case of the once important andnumerous Sussex family of Culpepper; a member ofthat family, the old herbalist, has made the namefamiliar to every one. For centuries the Culpepperswere landowners in various parts of the county, andat one period there were two baronetcies in thefamily. Yet in the course of the last two centuriesthey have sunk into utter obscurity, and there isnot now one person of that name in Sussex abovethe
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