32 CLASS I. MAMMALIA. ORDER I. BIMANA. 



have manifested great vigor and energy in military exploits; 

 and three times have carried the terror of their arms over the 

 greater part of Asia, and even into Europe, under Attila, 

 Zenghis Khan, and Tamerlane. Their victories have gener- 

 ally, however, been of short duration, as they have not the 

 qualities suited to retain and govern the empires they conquer. 



3. The African, or Negro, is remarkable for his narrow and 

 depressed forehead ; his flat and broad nose ; his thick lips ; 

 his projecting jaws ; black, crisped, and curled hair or wool ; 

 black skin and eyes; and some other differences in bodily 

 shape, which it is not necessary to enumerate. These char- 

 acteristics are confined to Africans, and their descendants in 

 different parts of the world. The individuals belonging to 

 this race have seldom been distinguished for their mental fac- 

 ulties or^noral endowments. They have always remained in 

 a barbarous state, and are with difficulty induced to adopt the 

 customs and habits of civilized life. 



4. The American race resembles, in many respects, the 

 Mongolian ; but differs from it in having more distinct and 

 strongly-marked features, and a skin of a copper tint. All the 

 native inhabitants of the new world, with the exception of the 

 Esquimaux, come into this division. In general, they have 

 made small advances in civilization and the arts, and prefer 

 the wandering life of hunters to the comforts of settled hab- 

 itations. In the empires of Mexico and Peru, was exhibited 

 the highest pitch of refinement, to which they have ever 

 arrived. 



5. In the division called the Malay, are included nations 

 differing very much one from another, in form, features, and 

 character, and too imperfectly known to admit of being clearly 

 described. Some of them, as the inhabitants of New Holland 

 and Van Diemen's land, resemble very nearly the African 

 race ; whilst others, as the inhabitants of Malacca and Suma- 

 tra, and also those of the islands in the Pacific ocean, approach 

 sometimes the Caucasian, and sometimes the Mongolian. 



But notwithstanding all these differences in man, he main- 

 tains every where a decided rank, far above that of any other 

 animal. He is the only one which has the "power of commu- 

 nicating its thoughts and feelings by articulate speech ; the 

 only one which can properly be said to avail itself of the 

 advantages of society ; and the only one that, strictly speaking, 

 educates its young. It is in consequence of these advantages, 

 particularly that derived from association, that he has been 

 enabled, under all circumstances, to acquire and preserve a 



