176 A REMARKABLE ANTICIPATION OE 



aiitliors ]))• whom the whole subject has been broiiglit 

 into the liglit of day, and the attention of every intel- 

 lectual man and wonian has been comj)elled. 



The limits of space oblige me immediately to proceed, 

 after this too brief introduction, with a detailed statement 

 of Prichard's arguments and conclusions, which will be 

 found to justify, in the fullest manner, all that 1 have 

 said in his praise. 



It has already been said that the arguments referred 

 to are found in the Researches into tJie PJiysieal Ilisiory 

 of I\[aiiki)id} They are included in the seven sections 

 of the first chapter of Hook ix (p. 525), which is entitled 

 a iieneral Survey of tJie Causes zuhie/i Jurjc Proeiueed 

 Varieties in the Human Species, with Remarks on the 

 Ori(^in of A^ations and on the Diversity of Lan<rua(^es. 

 The first cha[)ter treats Of the Causes ivhieJi have f^iven 

 rise to Varieties in the Ilnvian Species. In the first 

 Section of the first chapter the author admits that it is 

 fruitless to seek for a complete explanation of the causes 

 which have produced the varieties which are witnessed 

 in the human species. ' The origin of the varieties in 

 the breed is enveloped in the same obscurity which 

 still hangs over every question relating to the theory 

 of propagation.' 



The opinion that the different shades of colour met 

 with in various races are caused by climatic changes and 

 by var\ing intensity in the rays of the sun, is then con- 

 sidered, and a great many ancient and modern exix)nents 

 of this view are quoted. After reproducing a long 

 passage from lUiffon, the hypotheses of the Rev. Dr. S. S. 

 Smith of New Jersey are described. These deal not 

 only with the 'gradation in the complexion, nearly in 

 proportion to the latitude. . . .' but also with the influence 

 which heat exerts upon the secretion of bile. In con- 

 sequence of heat ' the bile ... is augmented. . . . This 

 liquor tinges the com[)lexion. . . .' ' Hile, exposed to the 

 sun and air, is known to change its colour to black — 

 black is, therefore, the tropical hue.' This latter and 

 the very similar views of Blumenbach are, however, 



' Vol. ii, London, 2nd edition, 1826. 



