DIVERSITY OF RACES. 5 



There is a problem yet to be solved in the history of man, 

 which is now the occasion of much uncertainty and mystery in 

 its records. It is the problem of the origin of races a question, 

 the solution of which alone will account for those strange diver- 

 sities in organization, in civilization, and in character, which so 

 distinctly divide the families of mankind. It lies then at the 

 very foundation of the philosophy of history. But so involved 

 is it in mythical fable and allegory, so obscured by dark and 

 varying traditions, that he who, in history and nature, would 

 search out data for conclusions, must content himself with only 

 arriving at probabilities, or perhaps merely indicating a course 

 for further investigations. And that we are authorized, and even 

 called upon in seeking out the origin of races, to look beyond reve- 

 lation, will be readily conceded by those who consider the very 

 different construction from the popular one, which science has 

 placed on the Mosaic account of the world's beginning. Nor are 

 we forbidden to reason on this subject because we may not as yet 

 be able to establish the correctness of a different and better inter- 

 pretation. It required ages to explain the allegory of inanimate 

 creation ; and it will yet require years of laborious research to 

 remove all the mystery of man's origin. 



* Written in 1849 for one of the Senior prizes of Yale College. The writer 

 was called up by President Woolsey and Prof. Larned, and told that the 

 Faculty adjudged the essay worthy of the prize in a literary point of view, 

 but could not award it in this case because they did not consider the article 

 orthodox, and could not do anything to encourage such writings. It was at 

 once demanded by the students and published in the Yale Literary Magazine 

 for April, 1849. 



