Morton’s Crania Americana. 371 
defect, probably is to be ascribed their aversion to civilized habits. 
The inferiority of all of these skulls to that of the Swiss is con- 
spicuous. The internal capacity of it is 95.5, and that of the 
coronal region, 21.25. Dr. Morton does not give the capacity of 
the anterior and posterior chambers of this skull, but the larger 
dimensions of the intellectual organs have already been stated. 
We have no space to enter into any description of the skulls 
found in the ancient tombs, or of those of the Flat-headed In- 
dians and Charibs ; suffice it to say that Dr. Morton’s materials 
are full and satisfactory on these topics, and his facts and conclu- 
sions highly interesting. We subjoin a few of the general results 
at which he arrives from a survey of his entire field. 
“The intellectual faculties,” says he, “of the great American 
FAMILY, appear to be of a decidedly inferior cast, when compared 
With those of the Caucasian or Mongolian races. They are not 
only averse to the restraints of education, but. for the most part 
incapable of a continued process of reasoning on abstract subjects. 
Their minds seize with avidity on simple truths, while they at 
once reject whatever requires investigation and analysis. ‘Their 
proximity, for more than two centuries, to European institutions, 
has made scarcely any appreciable change in their mode of think- 
ing or their manner of life ; and as to their own social condition, 
they are probably in most respects what they were at the primi- 
tive epoch of their existence. They have made few or no im- 
provements in building their houses or their boats; their inventive 
and imitative faculties appear to be of a very humble grade, nor 
have. they the smallest predilection for the arts or sciences. The 
long annals of missionary labor and private benefaction bestowed 
upon them, offer but very few exceptions to the preceding state- 
ment, which, on the contrary, is sustained by the combined tes- 
timony of almost-all practical observers. Even in cases where 
they have received an ample education, and have remained for 
many years in civilized society, they lose none of their innate 
love of their own national usages, which they have almost inva- 
tiably resumed when chance has left them to choose for them- 
selves.” ‘ However much the benevolent mind may regret the 
inaptitude of the Indians for civilization, the affirmative of this 
question seems to be established beyond a doubt. His moral and 
physical nature are alike adapted to his position among the races 
of men, and it is as reasonable to expect the one to be changed 
