206 THE DESCENT OF MAN. f Past I. 



CHAPTER VII. 



ON THE RACES OF MAN. 



The Nature and Value of Specific Characters. — Application to the Eaces 

 of Man. — Arguments in favor of, and opposed to, ranking the So- 

 called Eaces of Man as Distinct Species. — Sub-species. — Monogenists 

 and Polygenists. — Convergence of Character. — Numerous Points of 

 Besemblance in Body and Mind between the most Distinct Eaces of 

 Man. — The State of Man when he first spread over the Earth. — Each 

 Eace not descended from a Single Pair. — The Extinction of Eaces. — 

 The Formation of Eaces. — The Effects of Crossing. — Slight Influence 

 of the Direct Action of % the Conditions of Life. — Slight or no Influence 

 of Natural Selection. — Sexual Selection. 



It is not my intention here to describe the several so- 

 called races of men ; but to inquire what is the value of 

 the differences between them under a classificatory point 

 of view, and how they have originated. In determining 

 whether two or more allied forms ought to be ranked as 

 species or varieties, naturalists are practically guided by 

 the following considerations : namely, the amount of dif- 

 ference between them, and whether such differences relate 

 to few or many points of structure, and whether they are 

 of physiological importance ; but more especially whether 

 they are constant. Constancy of character is what is 

 chiefly valued and sought for by naturalists. Whenever 

 it can be shown, or rendered probable, that the forms in 

 question have remained distinct for a long period, this be- 

 comes an argument of much weight in favor of treating 

 them as species. Even a slight degree of sterility between 



