THE ETHNOLOGICAL WORK OF LANE FOX. 541 



unity of the human species, as exemplified by the tendency of human 

 intelligence to evolve independently identical ideas where the condi- 

 tions are themselves identical. Polygenesis in his inventions may 

 probably be regarded as testimony in favor of the monogenesis of man. 



I have endeavored in this address to dwell upon some of the main 

 principles laid down by Colonel Lane Fox as a result of his special 

 researches in the field of ethnology, and my object has been twofold. 

 First, to bear witness to the very great importance of his contribution 

 to the scientific study of the arts of mankind and the development of 

 culture in general, and to remind students of anthropology of the debt 

 which we owe to him, not only for the results of his very able investi- 

 gations, but also for the stimulus which he imparted to research in 

 some of the branches of this comprehensive science. Secondly, my 

 object has been to reply to some criticisms offered in regard to points 

 in the system of classification adopted in arranging his ethnographical 

 collection. And, since such criticisms as have reached me have ap- 

 peared to me to be founded mainly upon misinterpretation of this sys- 

 tem, I have thought that I could meet them best by some sort of re- 

 statement of the principles involved. 



It would be unreasonable to expect that his work should hold good 

 in all details. The early illustrations of his theories were to be re- 

 garded as tentative rather than dogmatic, and in later life he recog- 

 nized that many modifications in matters of detail were rendered neces- 

 sary by new facts which had since come to light. The crystallization 

 of solid facts out of a matrix which is necessarily partially volatile is 

 a process requiring time. These minor errors and the fact of our not 

 agreeing with all his details in no way invalidate the general principles 

 which he urged, and we need but cast a cursory glance over recent 

 ethnological literature to see how widely accepted these general prin- 

 ciples are, and how they have formed the basis of, and furnished the 

 inspiration for, a vast mass of research by ethnologists of all nations. 



It appears more than probable that Cambridge will be much in- 

 volved in the future advancement of anthropological studies in Great 

 Britain, if we may judge from the evident signs of a growing interest 

 in the science, not the least of which is the recent establishment of a 

 board of anthropological studies, an important development upon which 

 we may well congratulate the university. Within my own experience 

 there have been many proofs of the existence in Cambridge of a keen 

 sympathy with the principles of ethnological inquiry developed by Col- 

 onel Lane Fox, and I feel that, as regards my choice of a theme for the 

 main topic of my address, no apology is needed. For my handling of 

 this theme, on the other hand, I fear it must be otherwise. I would 

 gladly have done fuller justice to the work of Colonel Lane Fox, but, 

 while I claim to be among the keenest of his disciples, I must confess 

 to being but an indifferent apostle. 



