138 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



wrought into the most natural shape for a cist or cell, the most 

 simple being that of the Eskimo, the most complex,^ the chulpa of 

 dressed stone. Now as to function, they differ very curiously, the 

 igloo teems with daily life, the estufa is open to ceremony and con- 

 ventions, the chulpa is a sealed tomb. The Eskimo has a council 

 chamber, a place of public meeting in the permanent undergound 

 dwelling. The Chibchas and Peruvians had both dwelling and 

 meeting places apart. Descending the continent from north to 

 south it is curious to notice the transfer of function in circular 

 architecture from dwelling place to meeting place, from meeting 

 place to tomb. 



Mr. Arthur Mitchell, in his admirable work, "The Past in the 

 Present," has shown us how old arts degenerate as new arts arise. 

 The reason is not far to seek. When our Indians were brought face 

 to face with the civilization of the whites, the bright, intelligent, 

 susceptible individuals and tribes dropped at once their old arts 

 and took on the new. The old, the dull, the conservative clung to 

 former things, which degenerated in their hands. On the whole 

 there was progress, but many things in the onward mass were mov- 

 ing backward. 



So it is with civilization at large — families, gentes, tribes — whole 

 nations and races disappear ; but new and better families — gentes, 

 tribes, nations, and races take their places. 



Mr. J. H. Blodgett said the remarks as to a sinking class of 

 persons in this city and elsewhere, call to mind an investigation 

 carefully made and recorded about 1810 in the city of Glasgow in 

 connection with some of the benevolent operations of the Church 

 of Scotland. 



The classification then made was in these four groups: i. A 

 wealthy class, able to select and carry out their own plans of life in 

 the main independently — one-sixth of the people. 2. An uprising 

 class, struggling for better advantages for themselves and their 

 children — one-third of the people. 3. A sinking class, tending 

 downward except for helpful influences brought to bear on them by 

 others — one-third of the people. 4. A sunken class, confirmed 

 criminals and paupers — one-sixth of the people. Such investiga- 

 tions have a bearing upon discussions such as that of the Society 

 recently upon our relative moral and physical progress. 



