Let us take a case that is often cited: the case of the great musician, Handel.
George Frederick Handel was a musical genius; and we are told that heredity does not account for his genius, as no other member of his family had ever displayed any special musical talent. Whence, then, did Handel get his musical genius? What are the qualities that go to the making of a great composer?
First, an exquisite ear; that implies great gifts of time and tune. Second, a great imagination. Third, an "infinite capacity for taking pains." Fourth, a quick and sensitive nervous system.
Now, a man might possess great industry, or ambition, and sensitive nerves, and not be an artist of any kind.
He might have a great imagination, and lack the industry or the ambition to use it effectively.
He might have industry, ambition, sensitive nerves, and great imagination, and yet without the musical ear he would never be a musician.
And the same may be said of any one or more of his ancestors.
Therefore, there may have been amongst Handel's foreparents all the qualities needed for the making of a great musician without those qualities ever happening to be united in one person.
Let us suppose a case. A man of energy and ambition, but with average imagination, and an average ear, marries a woman of ordinary mind. Their son marries a woman of strong imagination. The child of this second, union marries a woman of refined nature and considerable imagination. The son of this union may be ambitious, imaginative, and energetic, for he may inherit all those qualities from his foreparents.
Then the only trait left to be accounted for is the fine musical ear.