NATURAL HISTORY OF MAN. 31 



which is small and narrow in proportion to the cranium ; a 

 white skin, varying from a light rosy tint to a deep brown ; 

 and hair and eyes of various colors. This race is called 

 Caucasian, because its origin is referred, by tradition, to the 

 group of mountains lying between the Black and Caspian seas, 

 among which Caucasus has been celebrated. From thence it 

 has spread itself over a considerable part of the known world. 

 The inhabitants of Caucasus itself, the Georgians and Circas- 

 sians, are to this day considered as the most beautiful speci- 

 mens of the human form. In the ancient world, the most 

 celebrated nations belonged to this race. The Assyrians, the 

 Chaldeans, the Phoenicians, the Jews, probably the Egyptians, 

 the Persians, the Scythians, the Parthians, the Greeks, the 

 Romans, &,c., were of Caucasian origin. In modern times, 

 nearly all the nations that inhabit the western part of Asia, 

 nearly all the nations of Europe, and the descendants of Eu- 

 ropeans in America and other parts of the world, are of the 

 same race. 



They have been always distinguished for superior intel- 

 lectual and moral qualities. With a few exceptions, they have 

 maintained a decided ascendency in arms over the people of 

 the other races, and have acquired a superiority over them in 

 the elegances, refinements, and luxuries of life. They have 

 been for ages the depositaries of literature, philosophy, science, 

 and the arts, and have carried the human character to the 

 highest degree of excellence it has ever reached. All that is 

 beautiful and enchanting in poetry and the fine arts, all that 

 is sublime and awful in religion, have belonged to them. 



2. The Mongolian race is principally found in the eastern 

 parts of Asia. It is distinguished by a low stature, by pro- 

 jecting cheek bones; a depressed and retreating forehead; 

 features not strongly marked; eyes narrow and oblique ; a 

 nose somewhat broad and flat; thick lips; black, straight 

 hair ; thin beard ; and an olive complexion. In this division 

 are to be arranged the inhabitants of the great empires of 

 China and Japan ; the hordes of Calmucks, of Mongols, &,c. ; 

 the ancient Huns; the Finnish tribes of Northern Europe, as 

 the Laplanders; the Kamtschadales ; the Esquimaux Indians 

 inhabiting the northern parts of America ; and a number of 

 other nations and tribes of less note. 



The individuals of this race are inferior in moral and intel / 

 lectual qualities to those of the preceding. They have made 

 but slight progress in civilization or literature, and have gen 

 erally remained in a semi-barbarous state. Occasionally they 



