ETHNOLOGIC RELATIONS.] 



METEOKOLOGY. 



1203 



if ever, stray iuto more southerly climes ; the reindeer, 

 dogs, fish, seals, &c. , which are, like them, indigenous to 

 the country, provide them in food, with clothing, and 

 the means of moving from place to place ; and the oil of 

 the whale, with such drift-wood as is cast on the shores of 

 the lakes and seas, affords fuel and artificial light. la 

 fact, they are as much adapted to what we must call the 

 "specific centre" of their existence, as are any of the 

 lower forms of creation to which we have previously 

 devoted our enquiries. In person, both Esquimaux and 

 Laplander, although of short stature, are strong, active, 

 and hardy : they are dirty in their habits, addicted to 

 the use of ardent spirits when they can obtain them, and 

 the Esquimaux are extravagantly fond of oil as an 

 essential article of food. 



The latter particulars are, however, explicable on 

 chemical and physiological principles. The intense cold 

 of the climate requires a constant supply of carbonaceous 

 matter in the food, which, by slow combustion, during 

 the process of respiration, may educe animal heat. That 

 the craving for fatty matter is not confined to them, 

 under such circumstances, has been proved by the 

 experience of all arctic navigators ; and we were 

 informed, as an instance of the kind, by an eminent 

 commander of one of the expeditions in those 

 regioai, that tallow candles were often eaten by 

 our own seamen whilst they were journeying with 

 ledges over the snow so powerful does our instinct 

 lead us to its gratification, even in objects which, under 

 other circumstances, would be turned from with extreme 

 disgust. With respect to the use of ardent spirits in 

 cold climates, we may notice that, in Sweden, eight 

 gallons are consumed by each individual, on an average 

 for the whc'.e population, annually ; and in the northern 

 parts of Great Britain, it is well known that stimulants 

 may be drunk, with impunity, to an extent which would 

 be exceedingly injurious, if not fatal, in warmer 

 climates. 



Although anticipating subsequent observations, we 

 must here contrast the necessities of the inhabitants, 

 their tastes, and the natural productions of the country, 

 with those of regions of a different climate, for the 

 purpose of impressing on the minds of our readers the 

 fact, that each zone is, in every respect, peculiarly 

 adapted for the wants of the individuals whose " specific 

 centre" of existence is found within it. Turning, for this 

 purpose, to Spain, Portugal, South-France, Italy, and 

 Greece, we notice that the characteristic vegetable pro- 

 ductions (the only sure indications of climate) are just 

 such as the exigencies of those climates demand. The 

 fruits, <tc. as the grape, melon, orange the salads, 

 leguminous products, etc., are all chiefly composed of 

 water, which has an exactly opposite alimentary effect on 

 the animal system to that of the carbonaceous food, so 

 abundantly provided in the northern regions. In the 

 former countries, the external temperature leaves little 

 to be require;! in the way of heat-giving food ; whereas 

 in the arctic climes such is absolutely essential. Even 

 the natural starch-food of hot countries has but little 

 heating power, as is seen in the rice of Egypt, India, 

 America, Arc. 



The remarks which we have made respecting the 

 Esquimaux, may bo, within certain limitations, applied 

 to all tribes living northward of the parallel of 68 to 70 

 north latitude, in both hemispheres. They have, so far 

 as is yet known, no analogues in the southern or 

 Antarctic circle, as the inhabited land in those regions 

 does not extend northward beyond about W S. ; or, 

 perhaps, Tierra del Fuego, in lat. 55 S , is the extreme 

 inhabitable limit. 



We must now take a broad zone say from 65 to 40 

 of north latitude, between which are comprised what are 

 called the temperate regions. With but comparatively 

 trifling oxceptions, in respect to number, the whole of 

 the civilised world may be considered to be comprised 

 within these limits, excluding, of course, the Chinese 

 empire. Nearly the whole of inhabited Europe, and 

 North America, containing together about 350 millions of 

 people, is embraced between these parallels ; and here art, 



science, literature, commerce, <fcc., have their origin and 

 home. Without being too minute in our enquiries, ic is 

 impossible not to notice the peculiarities impressed on 

 each variety of the human species living within these 

 limits, by the circumstances of climate, which, in many 

 cases, corresponds in its boundary to the political and 

 social divisions. Moisture and dryness as distinctly 

 mark their traces, both physically and mentally, on each 

 people, as they do on the productions of the earth, 

 amongst the vegetable kingdom. Contrast, for instance, 

 the phlegmatic Dutchman with the volatile and vivacious 

 Frenchman ; or the plodding and steady-going Briton, 

 even with himself, when transplanted into the drier 

 climate of the Canadas and the United States. The 

 hitter country, although peopled by immigrants from 

 every civilised nation in Europe, has, during the last 

 seventy years, produced a variety of humanity, as dis- 

 tinctly marked in physical, mental, and social pecu- 

 liarities, and, as contrasted with the original stock, as are 

 the changes which have ever been produced by the 

 acclimatisation of any plant. Indeed, it will come within 

 the experience of any thoughtful person, that removal 

 from a moist to a dry climate, produces, in the course of 

 years, a great effect on any individual, which is typical 

 of the change of species-characteristics, to which we have 

 just called attention. Generally speaking, the percep- 

 tion becomes keener ; the interval between volition and 

 action shorter ; and hence, boldness of enterprise, 

 whether political or commercial, arises as a natural 

 result : the adage, " Coelum, non animan mutant," 

 ic. , of the Latin poet, might have held good when only 

 the narrowest sea had to be crossed, but loses its force 

 in our time, when oceans are less thought of than were 

 lakes in former days. 



The Chinese empire presents as marked a peculiarity 

 in human history, as the paradoxical Australian animal* 

 to which reference has already been made does in 

 natural history ; the specific centre, in either case, being as 

 decidedly marked. Secluded, until within recent years, 

 almost completely from the rest of the world by a 

 national policy, the Chinese have preserved for ages the 

 individual peculiarities which denote their physical, 

 mental, and moral condition. Their language oral and 

 written habits, customs, dress, religion, &c. , all seem 

 sni-f/eiierit, and afford a most interesting study to the 

 ethnologist. The greater portion of their country is 

 comprised between the parallels of 20 and 40 of north 

 latitude, and hence they are nearer the equator by several 

 degrees than is any portion of Europe. But, as we have 

 pointed out at a previous pago.f the climate does not 

 greatly differ from that of the south of France, Spain, 

 Portugal, <tc., owing to causes already explained ; and, 

 coincident with that fact, wo notice that, in many respects, 

 the productions of the earth resemble such as are found 

 in the countries just named. The Cliinese territories, 

 therefore, although situated, geographically, in tho sub- 

 tropical zone, really belong, climatically, to that of the 

 warm and cool-temperate ; and it is remarkable how 

 many of the mental characteristics and acquirements of 

 the people correspond to those possessed by nations 

 similarly situated in Europe. Their ingenuity is sur- 

 prising ; the arts and sciences have made great progress ; 

 and, in many respects, they excel Europeans. All the 

 appliances of agriculture and commerce are of a very 

 advanced character ; and in works both of utility and 

 ornament, they are frequently copied or ffcitated by 

 western rivals. The Japanese, whom we iuQludo with 

 the Chinese, have shown astonishing skill in Imitating 

 articles of European manufacture ; and some optical 

 instruments, as telescopes, (to., which they have pro- 

 duced, have astonished us by their excellency of con- 

 struction. Although but a few years have elapsed since 

 a steam-vessel was first seen by them, they have been 

 able to produce engines, boilers, &c., so complete, as to 

 run vessels of their own construction on their waters. 

 They contrast wonderfully with the nomadic tribes in 

 Central Asia, who, within the same parallels of latitude, 



See remarks on the onuthorhynchm, 4c., lit page 1-01. 

 + See ante, p. 1185. 



