454- 



THE LIVING RACES OF MANKIND 



on a determined agitation, and it seems that the "languages question" will be a permanent 

 thorn in the side of the Austrian Government. 



The Chekhs are reputed to be industrious and excellent workers, and have produced 

 talented musicians. 



The Moravians are so closely akin, in race, language, and customs, to the Bohemians, that 

 they call for no special mention. 



The Poles are found principally in the Russian Empire, where there are about 10,000,000; 

 but a large number of them are under the Austrian Crown. They appeared under the name 

 of Lekhs about the seventh century of this 

 era, and by some writers are supposed to have 

 been a Norse tribe which overcame and amal- 

 gamated with a Slavonic people. They may 

 be regarded as one of the numerous sub- 

 divisions of the great Slav race. Physically 

 they are of medium height, the Poles of the 

 south being generally of darker complexion 

 than those of the north. They have always 

 been distinguished for bravery, polite manners, 

 and great intellectual gifts. Their women are 

 handsome and vivacious. 



HUNGARY. 



Before dealing with the Magyars, who 

 constitute the great majority of this kingdom, 

 a few words ought to be devoted to the in- 

 habitants of Croatia and Slavonia, which form 

 an annexe of the Hungarian Crown. 



The Croats are a branch of the Slav race, 

 and are closely akin to the Servians. They 

 differ in being Roman Catholics and in using 

 the Latin alphabet for their two dialects 

 the Slovene-Croatian and the Serbo-Croatian 

 (Brown). The author here referred to, in his 

 interesting account of this people, describes 

 them as having for their physical character- 

 istics black or very dark brown hair, and 

 greyish or blue eyes, with a countenance 

 suggestive of cruelty and suspicion. They 

 are lazy and intemperate, but good-humoured 

 and hospitable. Their women, who do most 

 of the work, are both ignorant and super- 

 stitious, and do not rank high in the scale 

 of civilisation. They are noted for the beauty of their costume, which is usually radiant. The- 

 white tunic, scarlet waistcoat, and red sash or belt of leather with beautiful patterns are 

 among the various articles of attire, which differ in every village. A love of gorgeous 

 colours and silver ornaments is displayed everywhere. 



The Slovaks, who are found associated with the Ruthenians in Moravia and Galicia, are 

 carefully to be distinguished from the Slovenes, who are numerous, especially in Bukovina 

 and Slavonia. They are a pastoral people, and are generally regarded as hard-working and 

 contented. 



The Magyars spring from the Ural-Altaic stock. At the close of the ninth century of 

 our era a horde of mixed Turkish and Finnish origin entered Hungary, and it is from these= 



Fmm the Anlhm/xtlogical Collection in the Museum de Puna. 

 A PURE GYPSY, ALSACE (PROFILE). 



