120 Dr Hodgkin on the Progress of Ethnology. 



by Mr Greenough, of which, it is enough to say, that in 

 design and in the collection of materials, it is well worthy of 

 the author of the geological map of England. 



Were the differences which are observed in mankind 

 wholly the result of physical circumstances, we might expect 

 that an ethnographical map of the world would exhibit pecu- 

 liarities and physical characters bearing some relation to the 

 parallels of latitude, or rather like the isothermal lines and 

 the regions marked by the production of peculiar classes of 

 plants, shewing the combined influence of latitude and eleva- 

 tion. That such is not the fact is abundantly manifest, al- 

 though much of the materials for the construction of such a 

 map remain to be collected. It is so far from being the case, 

 that we find every shade of colour, from the white to the deep- 

 est black, in the same parallels of latitude, and even in juxta- 

 position with each other. We may further observe, that the 

 individuals presenting these different characters, are very dif- 

 ferently affected by the climate to which they are exposed. 

 Are we hence to infer absolute distinctness of race, the one 

 adapted to one climate and the other to another ; as the 

 tropical palm is distinct from the northern pine % Such a 

 difference, however plausible it may at first appear, is by no 

 means necessary, since it is equally consistent with probabi- 

 lity to suppose that the descendants from one original stock, 

 may, through a succession of generations, have become more 

 particularly adapted for certain climates, which result being 

 produced, the influence of a different climate cannot be equal- 

 ly tolerated ; just as the metal iron, according to the particu- 

 lar mode in which it is treated, may be rendered ductile or 

 brittle on the application of heat, arid the varieties so pro- 

 duced cannot afterwards be mutually substituted for each 

 other. These and numerous other difficulties have presented 

 themselves to the consideration of those whose attention has 

 been turned to the various conditions and appearances in 

 which man is found on the surface of the globe. The study 

 of this very interesting subject forms a branch of science, to 

 which the name of Ethnology has been given. As I have 

 heard remarked by the great Cuvier, with regard to Zoology 

 in general, so in this particular branch of it, it is obvious 



