How did Pierre-Samuel du Pont describe his preference for cousin marriages?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

consanguinity (Left) Absence of inbreeding: horizontal lines connect mates, vertical lines connect parents with their child; (right) an inbreeding loop: horizontal bar at top of loop connects brother and sister, all other lines and bars as above

In 1810, the French economist Pierre-Samuel du Pont expressed his preference for consanguineous marriages within his colony, writing: “The marriages that I should prefer for our colony would be between the cousins. In that way we should be sure of honesty of soul and purity of blood.”1