176 DIVERSITY OF RACES. 



teriously came to the wilds of this Western Continent, and 

 started into magic being a beautiful but frail civilization ; and 

 long did the red man worship his " white and bearded god." * 

 The fair sons of Circassia have formed for centuries the ruling 

 castes of Egypt and either Turkey ;f and many a once humble 

 merchant on the Thames or Zuider Zee, is now basking in 

 oriental state. 



Such is European superiority. And we say again, let him who 

 can assign it an impersonal cause. It is vain to point to any 

 tendencies in the natural world ; for these cannot produce genius ; 

 nor often have they favored its development. Equally vain is it 

 to refer the cause to a concurrence of circumstances ; the chances 

 against which, even if any could be conjectured sufficient to the 

 effect, would be beyond computation. Again must we revert to 

 native character. And, as we behold a Newton born to great- 

 ness, so must we regard this race as created to its supremacy. 

 At intervals down through the generations of men, the Creator 

 has seen fit to send forth some giant mind, whose capacities 

 should astonish, or whose might awe, the wondering pigmies 

 beneath it. So likewise, to vary the monotony of ages, has He 

 ushered into being a powerful race, a master-piece of His mys- 

 terious workmanship, whose Titan arms should wield the 

 destinies of a benighted world. Why He has wrought in His 

 Creation so incomprehensibly, it may not be for us to inquire. 

 The Lord God made it so, and it is good. 



It is an opinion quite common in regard to the origin of races, 

 that it is referable to a period immediately following the Deluge, 

 and to those descendants of Noah who received divine blessings 

 or curses. This however is founded, we think, on no direct 

 authority of Holy Writ, which, in that connection, specifies only 

 what may be explained more plausibly by events comparatively 

 local and immediate. Thus, the malediction on the son of Ham 

 was fulfilled in the subjection and enslavement of the Canaanites 

 to Israel ; and the blessing of Shern, in the prosperity of the 

 Israelites. Surely the assertions that " Japheth shall be enlarged, 



*Prescott, "Conq. of Mex." vol. 1, p. 60; .Bradford, "Am. Antiq." p. 301. 

 fBlackwood Mag. for 1849, vol. 28, p. 134. 



