448 VARIETIES OF MANKIND. 



differences than those which thus spring up accidentally, cannot 

 be supposed to belong to a separate species. Upon the compa- 

 rison of these differences depends the analogical argument first 

 employed by Blumenbach. Finding the ferret (mustela furoj to 

 differ from the pole cat (m. putoriusj by the redness of its eyes, 

 he concludes it is merely a variety of the same species, because 

 instances of this deviation are known to occur accidentally in 

 other animals j but he concludes the African elephant is of a 



with merely a black penis. Phil. Trans. Vol. 55. Bartholin, Hist. Anat. 

 Schurig, Spermatologia. p. 146.), and others again similar to the same as 

 seen in one parent only ; and it is remarkable that the resemblance to the 

 parents, whether in regard to common or singular peculiarity, is occasionally 

 not observed in the immediate offspring, but re-appears in the third or even 

 a later generation. 



As the different properties of both parents are on the whole pretty well 

 blended in the offspring, we may, by breeding successively from offspring and 

 one of the original parents, at length produce an offspring exactly resembling 

 this parent. (590) Some abandoned Europeans are said to have begun with 

 a black woman, and copulated with their offspring till they made her th« 

 great grandmother of a white. 



National features, form, and in a great measure even character, arise from a 

 nation marrying among themselves, and will be more marked in proportion to 

 the rarity of connection with foreigners. Hence the amazing peculiarity of 

 the Jewish race. 



The advantage of crossing breeds is well known, and may be explained by 

 the transmission of the parents' qualities. If any unfavourable deviation in 

 structure or constitution occurs, and is transmitted, and the descendants who 

 receive it hereditarily intermarry, the deviation is doubly enforced in their 

 offspring : but if a connection is made with another family or breed it is, on 

 the contrary, diluted. Could a race, however, have all its wants well supplied, 

 and, at the same time, have no unhealthful habit, so as to acquire no tendency 

 (page 459) to unfavourable deviation, I do not think that the soundness of 

 breeds would require crosses. The Arabians never allow the mares of the 

 noble race to be covered by any but stallions of their own rank, yet the excel- 

 lence of the breed is maintained. (D'Arvicux, Travels in Arabia, p. 168.) 

 Their horses have every comfort, and yet are not subjected, like our domestic 

 animals and most of ourselves, to unnatural habits. The degeneracy of many 

 plants unless their soil is changed, is quite anoth* circumstance. 



