. 51.] TO CHARLES L. BRACE. 461 



CAMBRIDGE, April 22, 1862 (?) 



DEAR BRACE, You are very welcome to such 

 casual criticism as I can offer on your two pages of 

 manuscript. 



The general fact of a segregated people (or indi- 

 viduals of an animal species) becoming best adapted 

 to the particular climate, etc., through Natural Selec- 

 tion is clear enough, the best adapted alone surviving 

 in the long run, and the peculiarities transmitted by 

 the close breeding. 



But what your statements tend to make out is, not 

 the tendency of a human race to return to its original 

 type, but only the tendency of the causes which pro- 

 duced a certain effect once, to produce it again, the 

 circumstances continuing, to produce it in the Fel- 

 lahs as it produced it in the remote ancestors of the 

 Pharaohs. 



That is all safe enough. But your case does not 

 prove that unless you make out that the Egyptian 

 race was nearly destroyed by crossings. 



I do not know, but I doubt if you can show that, 

 that the crossings were ever enough to modify the 

 Egyptian people, at least the common people, who 

 make up the bulk. Slight infusions, you see, would 

 be worked out. The foreign though conquering race 

 would be less prolific and less enduring than the 

 native, etc., etc. So is it not likely that in the Fel- 

 lahs you have the representatives of the old Egyptians 

 continued, not reproduced, as your remarks would 

 partly lead one to suppose your meaning ? 



Besides, once having got a race you must not make 

 too much of climate, to the overlooking of the wonder- 

 ful persistence of any variety when close bred. See 

 the Jews : the nose remains hooked, etc., under all 

 climates. 



