THE GENESIS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 359 



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, but possess an iuiportant scientific value. 



Another department of this study relates to the physical varieties of the human 

 race. lu statui-e, in complexion, in the nature of the liair and the shape of the cra- 

 nium the dift'erences that prevail between various tribes are very striking. Some 

 have supposed it possible to classify all tJu'se varieties under these principal divi- 

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

 one another by such insensible gradations ii,s to set all classifications at defiance. 

 Still there can he no doubt that every distinct people possesses a peculiar cast of 

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

 tional iihysiognomy, and that separate tribes and nations, descended from the same 

 stock, preserve in their physical characteristics tiie traces of their common origin. 



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

 in modifying the constitution an<l i»erson;il appearance of those subjected to it, a 

 question of the highest importance arises as to the extent to which this modifying 

 power may be effected. Some have supposed that all the peculiarities which distin- 

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

 social habits, while others have considered the power much more limited, and main- 

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

 on the progenitors of the diftei-ent races. These opposite yiews are supported at the 

 present day by writers of the highest authority, and as the question is evidently one 

 to be .settled not by reasoning so much as by observation, every fact bearing on this 

 point merits to be recoi'ded. The Institute possesses a small collection of craijia, 

 obtained by the exploring expedition, which will aftord some useful results, and the 

 series ot Indian portraits due to the War Department may be considered, in this re- 

 port, invaluable. 



A division of this study is conjparative pliilology in the science of languages. 

 Speech has been called the first and highest development of human reason; it is 

 also the clue by which we trace more evenly than by any other means the afifllia- 

 tioa of tril)es and the relationship which exists between different nations. By the 

 comparison of languages we can prove that nearly all the nations of Europe — 

 whether of Celtic or Latin or German or Sclavonic origin — are not only closely 

 allied ou(^ to another, but belong to tlie same stock with the inhabitants of Persia 

 and Hindustan. By the same nutans we ascertain that a race of Malay origin has 

 peopled all the islands of Polynesia. Modern philologists have discovered that the 

 natives of America, from the Arctic Sea to Cape Horjj, speak languages which, 

 though dissimilar in words, possess a striking grammatical resemblance — like differ- 

 ent metals cast in the sume mold. 



In the pursuit of this interestiug study, the importance of obtaiuing vocabularies 

 of the languages spoken by secluded or newly discovered tribes is easily seen. 

 Manuscript works in language of which little is known, are also of great value for 

 the iuve.stigation of their grammatical structures, and the collection of East Indian 

 manuscripts brought honu3 by the exploring expedition may 1)6 signaled as possess- 

 ing unusnal interest. The Institute is not less indebted to Mr. Stevens fpr the 

 monumental slabs from ('entral America, covered wiith those ^'cmarkable hierog|lyph.- 

 iC8, which are now awaiting the appearance yf some new ChampoUion to unfold 

 their mysterious purpoat. 



In search of these departments of cthnogjraphical science, all persons whose pur- 

 suits bring them in contact with many varieties of ojie kind, and in particula|r the 

 officers of the Navy of foreign stations, have an opportunity by obtaining and traiis- 

 luitting articles of native workiiiansiiip — crania or mijuimies of ])articular tribes, 

 and vocabularies or manuscript of languages little known — to add naaterials to the 

 general stock, which may hereafter be of invaluable service to the scientific inves- 

 tigator, 



H. Hale. 



November, 1842, 



