Scientific Reviews 8^ 



termediate shades are met with in intervening latitudes. But there 

 are many striking exceptions to such a generalization ; for in- 

 stances occur of dark-coloured tribes in cold climates, and of 

 lighter shades in warmer countries, and, what is still more remark- 

 able, of the same tint over an immense tract of continent ; and, 

 forming their ideas from these facts, physiologists seem now to be 

 generally agreed that the colour of the skin is not to be attributed 

 to the heat or light of the sun. M. Edwards, to whom this opinion 

 was necessary, for the validity of his application of physiology to 

 history, repeats the instance of the Jewish tribe, who, it is said, 

 though scattered over the earth for many centuries, have in every 

 latitude preserved their primitive colours unchanged. But we 

 know not the function of colour ; and how absurd is it to attempt 

 the determination of the influence of physical agents over any cha- 

 racter, before we have discovered with what agents it holds rela- 

 tion. 



• In the individual, we certainly observe a minor degree of varia- 

 tion in colour by change of climate ; and we are too ignorant of the 

 nature of hereditary character to aflirm that this alteration may 

 never become permanent in the race. There certainly appears to 

 be a power in organized bodies to adapt themselves to the new cir- 

 cumstances in which they are placed, whether that power be re- 

 duced to a principle of habit, or be attributed to any ultimate law 

 of organization ; and if there be any necessary relation between 

 colour and climate, we may easily conceive, though evidence is 

 wanting, that in long process of time, the one may become adapted 

 to the other. 



; But it has been found still more difticult to account for the origin 

 of the differences in the structure of the hair, and in the configura- 

 tion of the head and face, so striking in many nations. For, though 

 in many instances, the diversified forms of features may be traced 

 to the hand of art, there are innumerable congenital peculiarities 

 in difi'erent races, which are indubitably the result of nature's 

 work. Thus, the thick lips and dilated nostrils of the negro, the 

 receding forehead of the Papuas and New Hollanders, and, under 

 our own eyes, the high cheek-bones of the Scots, are uninfluenced 

 by known causes, and are permanent in the race. 

 ■ The views of Mr. Edwards would lead him to consider the varie- 

 ties of the human race to be specifically distinct, — implying there- 

 by an original diflTerence and constant transmission of the characters 

 they now possess ; and, according to his principle of elucidating his- 

 tory by physiological aid, the same law must be applied to the low- 

 est sub-variety in which a permanent and transmissible character 

 can be found. We need not say that we disagree with Mr. Edwards, 

 though, from want of data, the question is still debateable. For, 

 unless we know the origin of the diff^erence, we cannot distinguish 

 a species from a permanent variety. It is easy to say that the 

 porcupine family, or the family at Iver, the individuals of which, 

 for nine generations, had only the first phalanx of each finger, and 



