458 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1818. 



neglected. I have observed else- 

 where, that it is intellectual cul- 

 ture which contributes most to 

 diversify the features. Barbarous 

 nations have rather a physiog- 

 nomy of tribe or horde, than one 

 peculiar to such or such an 

 individual. The savage and civi- 

 lized man are like those animals 

 of the same species, several of 

 v.'hich rove in the forest, while 

 others, connected with us, share 

 in the bene6ts and evils that 

 accompany civilization. The 

 varieties of form and colour are 

 frequent only in domestic animals. 

 How great is the difference, with 

 respect to mobility of features 

 and variety of physiognomy, be- 

 tween dogs again become savage 

 in the New World, and those the 

 slightest caprices of which are 

 indulged in the houses of the 

 opulent ! Both in men and animals 

 the emotions of the soul are 

 reflected in the features ; and the 

 features acquire the habit of 

 mobility, in proportion as the 

 emotions of the mind are more 

 frequent, more varied, and more 

 durable. But the Indian of the 

 Missions, distant from all cultiva- 

 tion, guided only by his physical 

 wants, satisfying almost without 

 tlifliculty his desires, under a 

 happy climate, drags on a dull 

 monotonous life. The greatest 

 equality reigns among the mem- 

 bers of the same community; and 

 this uniformit)', this invariable- 

 ness of situation, is pictured on 

 the features of the Indians. 



Under the system of the monks, 

 violent passions, such as resent- 

 ment and anger, agitate the native 

 more rarely than when he lives in 

 the forest. If the savage man 

 give himself up to impetuous and 



quick emotions; his physiognomy, 

 till then calm and motionless, 

 changes instantly to convulsive 

 contortions. His passion is tran- 

 sient in proportion to its violence. 

 With the Indians of the Missions, 

 as I have often observed on the 

 Oroonoko, anger is less furious, 

 less frank, but of longer duration. 

 Besides, in every condition of 

 man, it is not the energy or the 

 transient bursts of the passions, 

 which give expression to the 

 features ; it is rather that sensi- 

 bility of the soul, which brings us 

 continually into contact with the 

 external world, multiphes our 

 sufferings and our pleasures, and 

 reacts at once on the physiog- 

 nomy, the manners, and the 

 language. If the variety and. 

 mobility of the features embellish 

 the domain of animated nature, 

 we must admit also, that both 

 increase by civilization, without 

 being produced by it alone. In 

 tlie great family of nations, no 

 other race unites these advantages 

 to a higher degree than that of 

 Caucasus, or the European. It 

 is only in white men, that the 

 instantaneous penetration of the 

 dermoidal system by the blood 

 can take place ; that slight change 

 of the colour of the skin, which 

 adds so powerful an expression to 

 the eraotions of the soul. " How 

 can those be trusted, who know 

 not how to blush?" says the 

 European, in his inveterate hatred 

 to the Negro and the Indian. We 

 must also admit, that this insen- 

 sibility of the features is not 

 peculiar to every race of men of 

 a very dark complexion : it is 

 much less apparent in the Af-^ 

 rican, than in the natives of 

 America. 



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