462 MAN, PHYSICALLY CONSIDERED. 



common observation that large men are seldom noted 

 for great intellectual powers. 



There are other individuals who fall as far short of the 

 ordinary stature, as those above alluded to exceed it. 

 There are not only individuals dwarfs, but large tribes 

 exceedingly diminutive in size. The Bojisman tribe in 

 south Africa, are remarkably short. About four feet six 

 inches is said to be the average size of the men, and 

 four feet that of the women. Barrow says he saw one 

 woman measuring but three feet and nine inches, who 

 had several children. How strong the contrast between 

 such a tribe as this, and the Patagonians, whose average 

 height is said to be from six feet and a half to seven feet. 



Bufibri and many learned naturalists have advanced the 

 idea that the soil and climate of America is unfavorable 

 to the development of the bodily powers. They think 

 that men and brutes have dwindled here, and will con- 

 tinue to dwindle. They describe the aboriginal inhabi- 

 tants of this country as necessarily dwarfish, weak and 

 puny. And some of the literary nobility of the old 

 world, have followed out this idea to a still more discour- 

 aging results. They say that the human mind here can- 

 not expand that there are some causes operating in this 

 continent to cramp genius, and enervate the intellectual 

 powers. Lawrence scouts at this idea, and yet goes on 

 to say, ' to expect that the native Americans or Afri- 

 cans can be raised by any culture, to an equal height 

 in moral sentiments and intellectual energy with Eu- 

 ropeans, appears to me quite as unreasonable, as it 

 would be to hope that the bull dog may equal the grey- 

 hound in speed ; that the latter may be taught to hunt 

 by scent like the hound; or that the mastiff may rival 

 in talents and acquirements, the sagacious and docile 

 poodle.' In direct opposition to this statement are ar- 

 ranged many facts which prove that the benighted sav- 

 age, when under circumstances favorable for the devel- 

 opment of his intellectual powers, may rise to virtue 

 and to eminence. Our own ancestors were as degrad- 

 ed as any tribe of savages now howling in the wilder- 

 ness. They are described as naked barbarians, fierce 

 and cruel, with bodies smeared with paint and living by 



