382 Analyses of Books. [Mav, 



exist between certain phenomena among mankind, and those 

 which commonly occur among tlie tribes, they must be all as- 

 cribed to ont- uniform principle of Nature. That every individual 

 species may be traced to one original birth-place, and consequently, 

 that the human species have had an original abode. That the 

 cause which produces the diversities among mankind is civilization, 

 which does not produce any effect on the parent which is hereditary; 

 but, by acting on the parent physically, inliuences tiie production of 

 certain offspring. And finally, that the change in form and com- 

 plexion has been from black to white; and that the primitive race 

 of men were negroes. After these conclusions, the remainder of 

 the volume is chiefly devoted to historical researches in corrobora- 

 tion of the last startling inference. From these inquiries it ap- 

 pears, that the most ancient nations of whom we have any record 

 were negroes, that they have giadually lost their characters, and 

 that tnany, or ma^t of the now existing nations, though widely 

 differing in form and complexion, may be traced to them. 



The Hindoos and Egyptians are certainly the oldest nations of 

 antiquity. The correspondence l)etween them is very remarkable, 

 and the importance of the resemblance increases as we find it in- 

 crease in proportion to the antiquity of the period to which we refer. 

 In morals, in politics, and endless superstition, the resemblance is 

 so unbounded, as to leave no doubt of an identity of origin. The 

 pretensions of the Babylonians, who aloue rival them in antiquity, 

 will not admit of scrutiny. It will be worth while to ascertain the 

 physical and mutual connexion of tliese early races, as by doing so, 

 «ome light would probably be thrown on the history of the species 

 in general. These nations appear originally to have been absolute 

 negroes. 



It is to be hoped that Dr. Pritchard will pursue this very import- 

 ant subject through all the forms of which it is susceptible, and to 

 which he appears so fully competent to give inteaest. 



II. Traile des Poisons iirees des Regnes Mineral, Fegetal, et 

 Animal, &fr. A Treatise on the Poisons of the Mineral, Vcge^ 

 table, and minimal Kingdoms, or a gmeral Toxology conudered as 

 related to Phi/siolngi/, Pathology, and Medical Jurisprudence. 

 By M. P. Orfiia, Pensionary Naturalist of Spain, Doctor in Me- 

 dicine of the Faculty of Paris, Professor of Chemistry and of 

 Natural Philosophy. Vol. I. Paris, 1814. 



This work, if we are to form a judgrnent from the part of it 

 which is already published, promises to be very complete. The 

 author is a practical chemist, as well as a physician, and he has 

 laid it down as a rule to give an account «f no poison without an 

 exact description of its propcriies, and without ascertaining by 

 experiment the effects which it produces on aninials. If we were 

 disposed to find fault we should blame tlic; author for the too great 

 number of parts into which he has subdivided each article. This 



