300 THE PRINCIPLES OF HEREDITY 



change in religion. For instance, much of Asia Minor and 

 Northern Africa anciently held the pagan Roman religion, 

 and possessed the splendid, tolerant, enlightened, extremely 

 material Roman civilization. Subsequently the inhabitants 

 became Christians in the primitive sense of the word, pro- 

 ducing vast numbers of hermits and other ascetics, and such 

 celebrated saints as Athanasius and Augustine of Hippo, all 

 of whom taught the scorn of earthly happiness. Their 

 civilization became typical of the early Christians. Lastly, 

 they were converted to Mahomedanism ; and since then 

 their civilization has been typically Mahomedan. We have 

 here an example of many races being forced into a uniformity 

 of mental characteristics, and, therefore, of civilization, pro- 

 gress, wealth and enlightenment by a religion held in 

 common. The Negroes of the present day furnish us with 

 an example of a single race professing several religions, and 

 possessing many different civilizations. Allowing for other 

 educational influences, such as comparative freedom, prevail- 

 ing superstitions, and social standing, the black Methodists 

 and Baptists of America differ remarkably little mentally 

 from their white co-religionists, but markedly from the 

 Catholic Negroes of San Domingo, who resemble in many 

 of their characteristics the whites of South America ; while 

 the Mahomedan Negroes of Africa are typical Mahomedans 

 fierce, fanatical, predatory, jealous of their women, non- 

 progressive as compared with Christians differing greatly 

 in turn from their neighbours, the pagan Negroes, whom 

 they easily subdue. 



