NATURAL HISTORY OF MAN. 485 



conformity to the conditions above stated; with the ad- 

 mission in each instance of a certain amount of deviation from 

 the common characters ; but the deviations themselves alike in 

 kind under like conditions, and prone to return to this pri- 

 mitive standard when the causes of change are removed. 

 Submitting the case of the human being to these criteria, 

 which have helped to solve many doubtful questions as to 

 other species, we may confidently say that an affirmative 

 answer is derived from all as to the proper unity of Man. 

 In truth each point has been directly or silently conceded, 

 except those which regard on the one hand, configuration, 

 colour, and certain other bodily peculiarities, and on the other 

 the equality of the mental endowments and capacities. On 

 these points discussions have been raised ; and the persuasion 

 stated by some writers, that the corporeal and mental diver- 

 sities of the Negro and Caucasian cannot be explained 

 otherwise than by supposing a difference of species ; thus 

 sanctioning the unwarranted notion which the ignorant or 

 the interested have so often adopted as to this matter. It 

 may be doubted whether this opinion has now many formal 

 advocates ; and we might not think it needful to dwell 

 further on the argument, were it not that the reasonings 

 apply almost equally to that modified view, which, without 

 denying the identity of the species, affirms that there were 

 different pairs of different primitive races, placed separately 

 on the earth. Every argument, of course, which tends to 

 show that one species is capable of undergoing the variations 

 actually found among mankind, must apply pro tanto to 

 this latter doctrine also. 



Let us first look at the anatomical part of the question. 

 The characters most dwelt upon in the discrimination of the 

 different races of men are the skeletons, and particularly the 

 skull and pelvis the stature the colour of the skin and 

 the texture of the hair. In all systems of arrangement of 



