82 ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES. 



prominent naturalists gives great weight, and a high degree of scientific interest, to 

 ■whatever conclusions have resulted from their researches. 



They both disavow any inconsistency between their theories and a rational 

 interpretation of Scripture, and they claim that these involve no greater latitude 

 of construction than geologists require for their material systems. They assert the 

 moral and physical unity of the human species, which they do not imagine to be 

 dependent on a common parentage, but regard as possessing a common and indi- 

 visible nature under whatever varieties of aspect and manifestation it is acknow- 

 ledged to be found. 



The deductions from natural science of Professors Morton and Agassiz, as applied 

 to both local and general ethnology, are materially relied on in the work of Messrs. 

 Nott and Gliddon ; and those of Dr. Morton, in particular, are represented as the 

 basis of that extended dissertation. 1 



Without attempting an analysis of the doctrines there maintained, or aiming to 

 follow the order of their discussion, we may state, in a condensed form, some of the 

 leading paleological propositions which relate to this continent, as follows : — 



" There exists no data by which we can approximate the date of man's first 

 appearance upon earth ; and for aught we yet know, it may be thousands or millions 

 of years beyond our reach." 



"Human Fossil Remains have now been found so frequently, and in circumstances 

 so unequivocal, that the facts can hardly be denied." 



" Geology finds the oldest landmarks in America." 



" The human fossils of Brazil and Florida, carry back the aboriginal population 

 of this continent far beyond the necessity of hunting for American man's foreign 

 origin through Asiatic immigration." 



" The form of these (fossil) crania, moreover, proves that the general type of 

 races inhabiting America at that inconceivably remote era was the same which 

 prevailed at the period of the Columbian discovery." 



" There are natural relations between the different types of man and the animals 

 and plants inhabiting the same regions." 



" The laws which regulate the diversity of animals, and their distribution upon 

 the earth, apply equally to man, within the same limits, and in the same degree." 



11 Not a single animal, bird, reptile, fish or plant, was common to the Old and 

 New Worlds."- 



sculptures, and crania of races, and upon their natural, geographical, philological, and biblical history: 

 Illustrated by selections from the inedited papers of Samuel George Morton, M. D., and by additional 

 contributions from Prof. L. Agassiz, LL. D. ; W. Usher, M. D. ; and Prof. II. S. Patterson, M. D. By 

 J. C. Nott, M. D., and Geo. R. Gliddon. 1854. 



1 Dr. Nott, in his Introduction, says : " It will be observed that, with the exception of Morton's, we 

 seldom quote works on the Natural History of Man, and simply for the reason that their arguments are 

 all based, .more or less, on fabled analogies, which are at last proved by the monuments of Egypt and 

 Assyria to be worthless. The whole method of treating the subject is herein changed. To our point 

 of view, most that has been written on human natural history becomes obsolete ; and therefore wc have 

 not burdened our pages with citations from authors, even the most erudite and respected, whose views 

 wc cousider the present work to have, in the main, superseded." 



