ETHOLOGY. 519 



state of previous circumstances it is found that certain v 

 marked mental qualities or deficiencies oftenest exist. 

 These conclusions, besides that they are mere approxi- 

 mate generalizations, deserve no reliance even as such 

 unless the instances are sufficiently numerous to 

 eliminate not only chance, but every accidental cir- 

 cumstance in which a number of the cases examined 

 may happen to have resembled one another. So 

 numerous and various, moreover, are the circum- 

 stances which form individual character, that the 

 consequence of any particular combination is hardly 

 ever some definite and strongly marked character, 

 always found where that combination exists, and not 

 otherwise. What is obtained, even after the most 

 extensive and accurate observation, is merely a com- 

 parative result; as for example, that in a given number 

 of Frenchmen, taken indiscriminately, there will be 

 found more persons of a particular mental tendency, 

 and fewer of the contrary tendency, than among an 

 equal number of Italians or English, similarly taken ; 

 or thus : of a hundred Frenchmen and an equal num- 

 ber of Englishmen, fairly selected, and arranged 

 according to the degree in which they possess a 

 particular quality, each number, 1, 2, 3, &C., of the 

 one series, will surpass in that quality the corresponding 

 number of the other. Since, therefore, the com- 

 parison is not one of kinds, but of ratios and degrees; 

 and since in proportion as the differences are slight, 

 it requires a greater number of instances to eliminate 

 chance ; it cannot often happen to any one to know 

 a sufficient number of cases with the accuracy requisite 

 for making the sort of comparison last mentioned; 

 less than which, however, would not constitute a real 

 induction. Accordingly there is hardly one current 

 opinion respecting the characters of nations, classes, 



