THE RACIAL GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE. 



169 



apt to be finely molded, thin, and straight. In the early British it 

 is heavier, broad at the nostrils, and inclined to irregularity in profile. 

 Facial peculiarities are, however, so open to modification by artificial 

 selection that they are quite untrustworthy for purposes of racial 

 identification by themselves alone. Only when combined with the 

 more fundamental traits which we have already examined may we 

 place confidence in their testimony. 



A by no means negligible factor in the discussion as to the ethnic 

 origin of the most primitive stratum of the populations of the British 

 Isles is temperament. To treat of disposition thus as a racial char- 

 acteristic is indeed to trench upon dangerous ground. Nevertheless, 

 remembering how potent environment, social or material, may read- 

 ily become in such matters; even the most superficial observer can 

 not fail to notice the profound contrast which exists between the tem- 

 perament of the Celtic-speaking and the Teutonic strains in these 

 islands. These present almost the extremes of human develop- 

 ment in such matters. They come to expression in every phase 

 of religion or politics; they can no more mix than water and oil. 

 The Irish and Welsh are as different from the stolid Englishman as 

 indeed the Italian differs from the Swede. Far be it from us to 



Black Breed." Shetland Islands. 



beg the question by implying necessarily any identity of origin by 

 this comparison ; yet we can not fail to call attention to these facts. 

 There is some deep-founded reason for the utter irreconcilability 

 of the Teutons and the so-called Celts. Our most staid and re- 

 spectable commentators, the authors of the Crania Britannica, never 

 weary of calling attention to it. Imagine an Englishman choos- 



