VARIETIES OP HUMAN RACE. 151 



parison of the mental characters of the several races ; for it has 

 been shown that, however various the degree in which they have 

 been respectively developed, the same elements exist in all; 

 and that individuals of even the most degraded races have 

 exhibited, under the influence of education, the same exalted 

 powers and elevated tendencies, which many of those in whom 

 they are most fully developed, are accustomed to regard as 

 peculiar to themselves. 



141. Notwithstanding that we have determined to refer all the 

 existing races of Men to one common origin, yet it would appear 

 that the chief varieties of form must have presented themselves 

 at a very early period. Thus, the hieroglyphic records of Egypt 

 afford testimony, of an older date than that to which any written 

 language carries us back, as to the existence of black and red 

 races at those periods ; and the traditions and remains of the 

 Chinese and American nations, seem to carry back their exist- 

 ence as distinct stocks, to an epoch almost equally remote. 

 Although almost every nation has its distinctive peculiarities at 

 the present time, yet it is easy to see that there is a comparatively 

 small number of prevailing types of form, to which they may be 

 referred, as the different forms of the domesticated animals are 

 referred to certain breeds. Some have thought that these might 

 be reduced to three ; and have supposed that they derived their 

 origin from the three sons of Noah, respectively. The more usual 

 division has been into fae; the Caucasian, Mongolian, African 

 or Negro, Malay, and American. From a most profound and 

 extensive comparison, however, of their physical characters, 

 languages, and customs, Dr. Prichard sees reason to arrange 

 them under seven classes. These are: 1. Those nations (com- 

 monly termed Caucasian) which, in the form of their skulls and 

 other physical characters resemble Europeans ; this division in- 

 cludes all the European nations, with the exception of the Lap- 

 landers and Finnish races, inhabiting the north-eastern portion ; 

 and also comprehends several nations in the north of Africa, and 

 in the west and south of Asia : of this race, the Greeks seem to 

 afford the most perfect model. 2. Those nations (commonly 

 termed Mongolian) which bear a resemblance in the figure of 



