The Genesis of the I'^nited Slates National Museum. 169 



and customs of the various nations and tribes of mankind, as indicating the char- 

 acter and the grade of civilization wliich is to be ascribed to them. Travelers in 

 Egvpt inform us that, from the representations of objects and views pictured on the 

 monuments of that country, one may obtain a clear and probably accurate idea of 

 the mode of life of the ancient inhabitants, and can thence form a better conception 

 of their national characteristics than from all the works of historians. The natives 

 of most countries, particularly those less advanced in civilization, possess no mon- 

 uments of this kind, which may be copied or transported into our midst, like those 

 of Rgj'pt. But one ma}' have the very implements and inanufactures which those 

 pictm-es would represent, the canoe and net of the fisherman, the bow and javelin 

 of the hunter, the spear and clul), the helmet and 1)uckler with which the warrior 

 went out to meet his enemy; we may have the clothing, the domestic utensils, the orna- 

 ments for the dance — in short, enough to show the state of the arts, the daily habits, 

 and the ideas of comfort and prosperity existing among particular people. Among 

 the collections of the Exploring Expedition deposited with the Institute will be 

 found nearly all the articles of native manufacture in use among two tribes of dis- 

 tinct race, the New Hollanders and the Fijians; those of the former number about 

 a dozen, while the latter yield several hundreds. A single glance at the two collec- 

 tions will give a clearer idea of the wide difference existing 1)etween these tribes 

 than any description. 



In tracing the migrations of a people and the connections of distant l)ranches, the 

 comparison of arts and social habits may, if pursued with caution, be an important 

 guide. A person knowing nothing of our language or liLstor}-, who should visit the 

 United States, after having traveled in Europe, would have little doubt from which 

 country of the latter our ancestors proceeded. The islands of the Pacific are peo- 

 pled by two distinct races, the one having a yellowish brown complexion, with 

 flowing hair; the other a dusky skin, frizzled or wooly hair, and features approach- 

 ing the African type. There is not in the climate or nature of the islands which 

 they respectively inhabit any reason why their habits and mental characteristics 

 should differ. Yet we find that the art of pottery and the use of the bow are 

 common to all the islanders of the latter or dark-skinned race, without exception, 

 while they are entirely unknown to the former, except where they have been ac- 

 quired in late times from the other. We must, therefore, presume that these arts w'ere 

 brought by the du.sky tribes who possess them from the original seat whence they 

 have emigrated. These observations will show that the articles of this description 

 preserved by the Institute are not to be regarded merely as amusing toys or as objects 

 of idle curiosity, l)ut possess an important scientific value. 



Another department of this study relates to the physical varieties of tlie liinnan 

 race. In .stature, in complexion, in the nature of the hair, and the shajic of the cra- 

 nium the differences that prevail between various tribes arc very striking. Some 

 have supposed it po.ssi1)le to cla.ssify all these varieties luider these principal divi- 

 sions or races, while others have believed them to be so numerous and to fade into 

 one another by such insensible gradations as to set all classification at defiance. 

 vStill there can be no doubt that every di.stinct people possesses a peculiar cast of 

 countenance and style of complexion and feature, what is commonly called a 

 national physiognomy, and that .separate tribes and nations, descended from the same 

 .stock, preserve in their physical characteristics the traces of their connnon origin. 



Knowing, as we do, that the influence of climate and manner of life is powerful in 

 nio(lif3-ing the constitution and personal appearance of those subjected to it, a ques- 

 tion of the highest importance arises as to the extent to which this modifying power 

 may be effective. Some have supposed that all the peculiarities which distinguish 

 the varieties of mankind have had their origin in this influence of climate and 

 .social habits, while others have con.sidered the power much more limited, and main- 

 tain that these peculiarities have existed unchanged as they were originally stamped 



